When it played host to the undefeated Exeter High Lady Blue Hawks’ squad at Londonderry High School on Tuesday, Sept. 16, the LHS girls’ soccer squad was aiming at bagging a fifth consecutive victory to start the 2014 campaign.
However, when the final horn sounded, coach Derek Dane’s dames were forced to deal with the fact that they will not go undefeated this fall.
The hosts were dealt a 3-0 defeat by the 4-0 Lady Hawks despite the fact that Londonderry goalie Jackie Luckhardt turned aside 25 Exeter shots in the contest.
The visitors potted the first two of their scores in the first half, forcing Dane and his charges to talk comeback at halftime.
Exeter bagged those two first-half markers in the seventh and 20th minutes of the match, and try as it might the host team couldn’t get a shot past Blue Hawks’ keeper Megan Defeo (four total saves).
The visiting side notched its third and final marker of the day with just four minutes left in the game.
The Londonderry loss also carried more overall significance due to the fact that the 4-1 LHS team had a full week-long layoff following the Exeter contest, not returning to the pitch until Tuesday, Sept. 23, after Londonderry Times press time, against the winless Merrimack squad. That’s a long time to contemplate a frustrating defeat.
The girls will then play host to the 6-1 Pinkerton Academy Astros in the annual Mack Plaque contest on Saturday afternoon.