GREENFIELD — The offense of the Greenfield girls soccer team has kicked it into full-gear as the postseason nears, but more importantly, the Green Wave defense is also playing at the top of its game.
Taking on a talented Lee team on Wednesday, Greenfield (12-2, 10-0 Pioneer South) scored three second-half goals that culminated in a 5-1 independent victory.
The game was ended with 10 minutes to play due to darkness.
“My defense played amazing,” Green Wave coach Tina Riddell said. “They cleared the ball well, taking touches and communicating well. They saved us.”
Emma Savoy scored a hat trick and added an assist, once again being the focal point of the Greenfield attack on offense.
“The offense is great,” Riddell said. “[Savoy] has really good touches but she gives the ball up a lot. She’s very skilled and talented.”
Savoy got the scoring started in the 22nd minute, weaving through the defense before launching a shot from outside the right side of the box. The ball flew through the air before smashing into the top left corner of the net to give the Green Wave the early lead.
Five minutes later, the Greenfield offense struck again. Savoy hammered a shot on goal that was saved by Wildcats (7-4-2) keeper Bella Lovato, but the ball deflected off Lavato onto the foot of a charging Kaitlin Lavoine, who buried the ball into the open goal.
After a subpar day of practice on Tuesday, Riddell didn’t know if her team would bring their best to the field Wednesday.
The early 2-0 lead settled her worries.
“I wasn’t sure how today’s game was going to go,” Riddell said. “Yesterday’s practice wasn’t to our par, but they’re seeing the fact that the hard work shows up on the field.”
When the Green Wave faced Lee earlier in the season, it ended in a 6-3 Wildcats victory.
Greenfield was missing keeper Dina Samake in the first matchup, but the senior made her presence felt in Wednesday’s match, finishing with seven saves.
What impressed Riddell most was how she rebounded after a mistake. Two minutes into the second half, Lee’s Lydia Simone took a shot from outside the box, but Samake missed the ball and it went through her legs for a Wildcat goal.
Instead of putting her head down, she responded by making a pair of big saves to keep Lee off the scoreboard.
“I knew it was going to be a different outcome with Dina playing,” Riddell said. “When she’s in the zone, you can’t talk to her. She knows it shouldn’t have happened. She played phenomenal out there. It’s great to see the confidence she has.”
Following the Wildcat goal, the Green Wave offense got going again, scoring three straight to close out the contest.
Samake took a free kick from midfield and drove it into the box, where Victoria Marin collected the ball and found Savoy, who put it in the back of the net to make it a 3-1 game in the 52nd minute.
In the 60th minute, Hannah Poirier sent a corner into the box, where Greenfield defender Elizabeth Trudeau was able to receive the ball and knock it into the net.
Lovato was injured on the play for Lee, forcing Carina Brown into goal.
Savoy scored the final goal just before the game was called.
With two games left before the tournament, Riddell hopes her team continues to show the fire and desire it’s had throughout the season.
“You can’t teach intensity,” Riddell said. “Either kids have to have it or want to have it. These girls are motivated.”
Greenfield travels to Northfield to take on Pioneer on Friday before closing its season with Franklin Tech on Tuesday.
Greenfield 5, Lee 1
|
Lee |
0 |
1 |
— |
1 |
|
Greenfield |
2 |
3 |
— |
5 |
Goals: (L) Ly. Simone. (G) Savoy (3), Lavoine, Trudeau.
Assists: (L) . (G) Savoy, Marin, Poirier.
Saves: (L) Lovato 8, Brown 1. (G) Samake 7.