Sentinels start fast vs. Lions Specht scores goal in defeat to Smithfield

SMITHFIELD — After a blowout loss to state title contender North Kingstown to start the season, the young Lincoln soccer team appeared to find its identity with solid results against Portsmouth and Prout, and a solid opening half against Bay View.

But, in the second half against the struggling Bengals, the Lions reverted back to the team that gave up eight goals to the Skippers. Those issues cropped up again Monday afternoon against a Smithfield squad coming off an appearance in the state final.

While the Lions weren’t ready to play in the opening 10 minutes, the Sentinels were sharp and took a lead they would never relinquish on a fifth-minute goal by Jaclyn Colucci. Megan Nicholson produced a goal and an assist in the second half, while Lincoln’s Riley Specht scored a consolation goal in a 3-1 Division I victory for the Sentinels.

“I wish I had the answer for why we’re struggling for consistency,” veteran Lincoln coach Chris Allen said. “It’s been like this every game where we have moments of organization, pressure and control. I just want to us fight for the ball in an organized way because they’re fighting out there, but doing it wildly.

“We’re a very young team where we have two or three freshmen getting important minutes and we were down two defenders who are injured, and we’re already a small squad.”

Lincoln (1-3-1 Division I) has some talented veterans who were a part of the 2016 state semifinals squad like Jenna Iaciofano, Morgan Soares and Sarah Leonetti, but the Lions are missing that dominant player who can control the game when the team is struggling. In the past few seasons, Camryn Thompson and Riley Soares filled that role, while this season’s team is looking for that person.

Specht, who rejoined the team after running cross country as a sophomore, and junior Tayla Salome provide the Lions with speed and skill up front, but the challenge is linking the midfielders with the two juniors up front.

“Personality-wise maybe the girls we have out there aren’t like those two in the past, but I think you see the fight in a girl like Sarah Leonetti, who is tackling every person near her with the ball,” Allen said. “Jenna leads from the middle. Maybe the vocal leadership isn’t there, but that’s where other players need to step up.”

Smithfield (2-3 Division I) lost its first three games of the season, but coach Robert Squillante has seen his team come together in two straight victories. The Sentinels defeated East Greenwich, 3-1, Saturday before winning by the same score Monday afternoon. Along with Nicholson and Colucci, the Sentinels also received a goal junior Kat Laboissonniere.

The Sentinels took complete control of the contest from the opening whistle, forcing sophomore goalie Amy Stevens to make three crucial saves in the opening minutes. Smithfield took the lead in the fifth minute when Kasey Ruo’s cross was finished off by Colucci.

“The first 10 minutes of the game were completely different from the final 15 minutes of the half when we were putting some pressure on them and creating opportunities,” Allen said. “We have to find a way of finding the momentum right away. It’s a learning curve for these girls.”

Freshman Brooke Cole saved a sure goal when she cleared a corner kick off Stevens’ goal line in the 16th minute. Lincoln settled down after the opening flurry, but they only put one shot on goalie Sydney Tucker’s net in the first half.

Lincoln nearly tied the game 10 minutes into the second half when left winger Lucy Kratman played a dangerous ball into the box that Specht one timed just wide of the goal. The Lions were made to pay for their missed chances in the 66th minute after good work from Nicholson on the right wing. The sophomore found Laboissonniere at the penalty spot for a goal.

Specht gave her team a chance to earn a point in the 76th minute thanks to the hard work of Salome in the penalty box. The junior put a shot on net that went through Tucker to make it 2-1. Smithfield, however, answered two minutes later on Nicholson’s effort that Stevens could only get her hand on before it went in the net.

Lincoln heads back to Ferguson Field for a pair of contests, starting with Wednesday’s clash with Scituate at 6 p.m.