Milton High Wins Vermont Girls Soccer D-II Title
Yellow Jackets Defeat Harwood With Penalty Kicks 4-3
Nov 10, 2009
The victory gave the Yellowjackets their second straight state title after a 13-year drought that followed a 5-year championship run from 1990-94.
The match was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation play. Two overtimes weren’t enough to determine a winner even though both teams had good scoring chances. Milton earned the 2008 title via penalty kicks and coach Stephanie Hurley said her team “felt good about our chances.”
“Our keeper Hillary Turner is a senior who thrives on these situations,” coach Hurley noted. “She peeled off a layer and got down to her lucky shirt for those saves.”
Capital Division All-Stars Spark Harwood Highlanders
Three rounds into the shootout the teams were still even (3-3). Katie Johnson, Caroline Dillon and Julienne Vergura scored in succession for Harwood. Yellow Jackets Sam Rock, Emma Stinson and Danielle Hurley matched them. When Turner (six saves) dove and deflected Ariel Goodman’s bid away, Harwood was in peril. The match was decided when –after Tess Quintin had connected on Milton’s fourth penalty kick – Turner sprawled and batted down Sarah Moore's shot on goal.
Milton, the No. 2 seed, led 1-0 at the half 1-0 thanks to senior Kaitlin Cleary’s goal in the 14th minute. Cleary, unmarked just inside the top of the box, was assisted from the sideline by Jenna Morrissey. Clear looks for the Yellow Jacket were few and far between after that.
Highlander senior striker Caroline Dillon booted in the game-tying goal in the 62nd minute. The play was created by freshman Laura Moore’s carry-in from the left wing. Harwood had been on the attack for several minutes without managing a shot on goal.
On the ensuing kick-off, Milton’s Sam Rock sent a hard drive to goal which Harwood goalie Taylor Burdett (11 saves) managed to handle. Rock almost reached a through ball in the 67th minute, but Burdett tipped it away. With 6:25 left in regulation, Hannah Fraser’s direct kick for Milton bounced near the 6-yard box and skimmed the top of the crossbar.
Harwood had one shot on goal in the first overtime. Milton had none. Sarah Moore and Julienne Vergura won many balls in the midfield as the game wore on, as did Milton’s Danielle Hurley and Emma Stinson. Thirty seconds into the second overtime, Harwood’s Paige Cleary headed a dangerous ball away from an open net. From there Milton began to have trouble containing Laura Moore and Harwood’s scoring chances increased. Sarah Moore’s tackled and tapped to Liza Mackey, who returned the ball for a shot from 10 yards out that went two feet wide. Laura Moore swiveled in from the sideline and found Caroline Dillon’s foot in close, but Turner broke up the play with 31 seconds remaining.
“They picked the play up on us in the second half and we went flat for a while,” Milton coach Stephanie Hurley said. “We were missing our starting stopper Gina Abbiatti and they tired us out a bit with their pressure. Kaitlin Geary, who scored our goal, has been a key for us offensively.”
“There was a lot of back and forth and counter attacks,” Harwood’s Sarah Moore said. “We came in knowing they would be tough.”
“At halftime we talked about how it wasn’t going to be about speed or technique that would get us back into it,” senior fullback Katie Johnson said. ‘It was going to be about desire that’s what we showed.”
Penalty Kicks Decide Vermont Girls Soccer Championship
“Bottom line is that was a helluva match,” Highlander coach Jon Hammond said. “It’s soccer. We knew that’s the way you end a game. After being down 1-0, they just kept fighting. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Both teams had tremendous chances in overtime. For a freshman like Sarah (Moore) to be creating chances like that in overtime in a state championship game – my hat’s off to her. Our seniors have given something here that is more important than a state championship and that’s a face to our girls soccer program. They were great role models for our younger players. Harwood finished with an 11-4-3 record and its first finals appearance since 2000.
 |
 |
 |
