WILLIAMSTOWN – After earning a draw at Paine Mountain to start the week, the Twinfield-Cabot-Danville (CCSU) girls’ soccer team lost a pair of hard-fought Mountain League battles to Hazen Union and Winooski, snapping their five-game unbeaten streak.
Eliska Siebenbrunner scored with seven minutes left in regulation to help Cal United salvage a 1-1 draw on the road against Paine Mountain last Monday. Hannah Spencer found the back of the net six minutes into the second half to give the home team a 1-0 advantage before Hazel Abetti found Siebenbrunner for the equalizer with time winding down. Ida Astick had another strong game in net for CCSU, making 18 stops on the day. Olivia Boyd made 12 saves for Paine Mountain as they improved to 2-5-1.
“We were a bit too content to swap long kicks for the first 60 minutes,” said head coach Spencer Morse. “We finally settled down and got back to playing possession, which ultimately made the difference for us in finding the equalizer.”
Julia des Groseilliers’ long-distance blast in the first half proved to be the game winner on Wednesday as Hazen edged CCSU 1-0 at Dustan Field in Craftsbury. The strong-legged junior connected on a free kick with seven minutes left in the first half for the only score of the match. Sophomore Kelsey Rivard made six saves to earn the shutout, while Astick turned away 13 shots in the loss.
Hazen Lady Cat Savanah Boyce (center), a Craftsbury student, stops the ball ahead of Cora Abetti (left) and Taylor Carson (right) of Caledonia United during action on Dustan Field in Craftsbury. Hazen edged by their opponents 1-0.
“We had a wonderful possession game in the back two-thirds of the field, but the conversion on the free kick was the ultimately the difference in the game. We have to find a way to get hungrier on the attack in the final third,” said Morse.
Eliza Willis scored the eventual game winner at the 58-foot mark to power Winooski to a 2-1 road win over Cal United over the weekend. Moo July Htoo gave the Lady Spartans a 1-0 advantage 25 minutes into the match on a feed from Willis before Willis gave them a two-goal cushion 18 minutes into the second half. Siebenbrunner kept the hot hand for CCSU, cutting it to 2-1 eight minutes later, but that would end the scoring on the day. Astick turned away 10 shots in the loss for Cal United. Moo Thay Lay Htoo equaled her with 10 saves as Winooski evened their record at 3-3.
Caledonia United’s Jaidyn Carson (center) stops the ball in mid air as Natalie Michaud (left) and Autumn Dailey (right), of Hazen Union closely follow the play during action in Craftsbury, Wednesday. In the back is Taylor Carson of Caledonia United. Hazen won 1-0.
“We just need a more consistent effort for 80 minutes,” said Morse.
Cal United fell to 4-3-2 on the season and down to ninth in the current Division III standings. They traveled to Missisquoi Valley on Tuesday and will look to exact some revenge against Hazen on Thursday at home in Danville.
