LHS girls rally late
Lincoln sophomore leads Lions to impressive win over Sentinels
The Lincoln High girls’ soccer team notched its 8th win (8-3) of the season Tuesday, scoring in the 80th minute to beat Smithfield, 4-3.
LINCOLN — Lincoln sophomore central defender Riley Soares didn’t give Smithfield a fourth chance to tie the game.
After the visiting Sentinels answered Lion goals three times Tuesday afternoon, Soares created a few yards of space at the top of the box and curled a fan- tastic left-footed shot inside the far post of sophomore goalie Abby Leveille’s net in the 80th minute.
“I’m right footed, but I just felt a rush and I needed to go forward with the ball and then I just shot it just to shoot it,” Soares said. “I saw the curve and I was like ‘Oh, jeez, that’s going in.’”
Soares’ goal, combined with a pair of goals from senior forward Lexi Revis and a goal from sophomore leading scorer Lily Loparto earned the Lions their biggest victory in the three years they’ve been in Division I. The Lions secured a 4-3 victory over a Sentinel side that already owns wins over Cumberland and North Kingstown.
Lincoln (8-3 Division I) was pleased to finally beat one of the contenders for the state title after defeats to the Clippers, La Salle and Barrington.
“I’m right footed, but I just felt a rush and I needed to go forward with the ball and then I just shot it just to shoot it.” – Lincoln’s Riley Soares
“This is a great win. I don’t remember the last time we beat Smithfield,” Revis said. “This tells us that we’re in this race and that we have the talent to compete. It’s not luck, so we’re excited to go into the playoffs and play these teams that have already beat us.”
“This tells us that we have the same desire as the other teams at the top of this division,” Lincoln coach Chris Allen said. “It was a back-andforth game, but the girls didn’t let up. We were able to capitalize on them and they were able to capitalize on us. We just kept putting the pressure on them and that was a strong strike at the end by Riley.”
Smithfield (8-4 Division I) received 11 saves from sophomore Abby Leveille, but the Sentinels, once again, struggled defensively. Smithfield allowed at least three goals for the fourth time this season. Of course, the Sentinels could’ve just as easily won the game if not for the play of Lincoln senior keeper Jianna Iaciofano.
Iaciofano made two one-on-one saves in the final 10 minutes to keep the game tied before Soares’ heroics.
“She did,” Allen said of his goalie’s heroics. “To be quite honest, I think both goalies played incredible. Both keepers kept their teams in the game. They should be proud of their goalie and we’re always proud of Jianna. She always does a nice job.”
The Lions, who were coming off a shutout win over Bay View last week, scored the game’s first goal in the 26th minute when freshman Morgan Soares found Loparto for her 12th goal of the season. The lead last just five minutes because Alyssa Ricci connected with Taylor Cobain for a goal.
Smithfield dominated the final nine minutes of the half, but the next goal didn’t come until eight minutes into the second half when Leila Loparto’s cut-back ball from the byline was one-timed past Leveille by Revis. Before the Lions were done celebrating, Maggie Hickey tied the game with a long-range shot after a pass from Ricci.
“We have to look at the game as a whole because we’re looking to score offensively and then we lapse,” Allen said. “It’s really kind of a growth thing and it takes time to develop. Once you take the lead or you score, it’s about holding your shape and moving forward. You have to remember this is a game of movable parts.”
Lincoln kept attacking and took the lead for the third time in the 60th minute when Camryn Thompson’s barnstorming run through the middle of the field eventually led to Revis’s second tally of the afternoon. The senior already has 10 goals this campaign.
Revis and Loparto have already combined for 22 goals after the Lions scored just 16 times in 17 contests in 2015.
“The difference between last year and this year is just confidence,” Revis said. “Last year, I was afraid to play in this division and this year, being a senior and a captain, I feel like I have the confidence I didn’t have it last year.”
“The girls around (Revis and Loparto) are creating chances because people aren’t just taking it one-on-one to goal and scoring,” Allen said. “Goals are being scored off of other great movement of the ball. And it’s about being in the right place in the right time and doing it in the system.”
Smithfield tied the game again on Riley Hart’s tally in the 65th minute. The Sentinels had chances to win the game over the next 10 minutes, but it was Riley Soares who produced a moment of brilliance to end an important afternoon for the growth of the Lincoln girls soccer program.
“I just want other teams to know that playing us isn’t going to be an easy game – it’s going to be a competitive game,” Allen said. “I think that’s an attitude change that hopefully people understand that we’re here in D-I and we deserve to be in D-I.”