Tigers remain unbeaten
Freshman forward Carman scores twice at Woonsocket
WOONSOCKET — When Gavin Ward became the assistant coach of the Tolman girls soccer team prior to last season, the Englishman tried to quickly install a progressive possession-oriented offensive system.
Ward found out quickly that there simply wasn’t enough time in the Interscholastic League season to teach the Tigers a completely new style of soccer, so this season Ward and coach A.J. Lascola went back to the basics.
Through the first five weeks of the regular season, the basics have Tolman contending for the Division III title along with fellow unbeatens Cranston East and Narragansett.
“We started the season with a new formation that was simpler than last season,” Ward said after Friday afternoon’s 3- 2 victory over Woonsocket at Barry Field.
“We’re still trying to play the game the right way – not kick and chase, not dump into corners, not elbowing or being overly physical – but playing soccer the way it’s meant to be played.
“When I came in last season, I gave all the positions fancy names and we tried to be very technical and do something more difficult to apply at this level.”
Friday’s contest was second game this week where the Tigers had to work for a victory after outscoring their first four opponents 42-2. Tolman downed city rival Shea 5-3 Monday night at Max Read Field. Lascola and Ward weren’t pleased with Friday’s effort, because after senior Mickenzie Aldridge netted a penalty kick in the 50th minute to put the Tigers up two goals, Woonsocket was the more aggressive team.
Tolman (7-0 Division III) saw its lead cut in half in the 61st minute when senior forward Amy Seck simply outworked the Tigers’ defense and ripped a low shot under goalie Sabrina Angulo. The sophomore made five saves to secure the victory.
“If we play the way we’re capable of playing then on any given Sunday anything can happen and we should be able to compete with anyone in the playoffs,” Lascola said.
Woonsocket (4-4-1 Division III) is fighting for a playoff spot, but the schedule hasn’t been kind to the Villa Novans in the last week. Woonsocket lost to the undefeated Thunderbolts, 4-0, Saturday, before snapping a four-game losing streak with Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Shea. Friday, coach Tiffany Godbout was proud of the way her team battled with one of the top teams in the division.
“It was good to see that my girls played like they wanted to win. A lot of the girls really stepped up,” Godbout said. “We were playing more aggressive than we usually do, but we still have a lot of things to work on because we don’t have a feeder program like Tolman. The way they played late in the game is going to be great for their self esteem and confidence.”
Woonsocket’s biggest problem most of the afternoon was slowing down Tolman freshman forward Jordan Carman, who made smart runs off the back of Woonsocket’s fullbacks to find open space. The freshman opened the scoring in the 13th minute with an unassisted goal.
The Villa Novans answered back in the 35th minute when sophomore Lena Rodriguez looped a ball into the box and Cassidy Szymczuk was on hand to one-time a right-footed shot past Angulo.
But, Carman restored the onegoal advantage in the 47th minute with a superb left-footed effort from the top of the box. Aldridge doubled the lead three minutes later with a penalty kick.
“All of the kids are playing to their potential and their capability,” Lascola said. “I’m proud of all of them.”
Woonsocket cut its deficit in half in the 61st minute thanks to Seck’s hard work in the Tolman penalty box, but the host’s failed to find a game-tying goal.
“Aijah [Insisengmay] is doing a good job holding it together in the back and our goalie, Natasha [Rodriguez] is new this year, but she’s helping us,” Godbout said.