A solid victory over Merrimack followed by a frustrating, last-minute loss to Pinkerton in Mack Plaque play last week brought the Londonderry High girls’ soccer squad into this week contemplating a record which was sitting right at the .500 mark at 4-4.
The Lady Lancers had bumped their 2017 record up over .500 to 4-3 with a 4-2 defeat of the Merrimack High Lady Tomahawks on a neutral field in Bedford last Tuesday, Sept. 19.
Merrimack potted the one and only goal scored in the first half, but Londonderry outscored its opponent by a 4-1 margin in the second half in bagging the victory.
Alyssa Anderson netted the game-tying goal 10 minutes into the second half with an assist from Sammy LeClair, and Gwen Barnes gave her side a lead of 2-1 by scoring four minutes later. Darby Dupuis claimed the assist.
Laurel Goding grabbed the Lady Lancers’ third straight goal – on a set-up from Olivia Stowell – in minute 60 of the match. And Stowell then set up the fourth consecutive LHS marker by connecting with scorer Bella Cossette seven minutes later as the Lady Lancers moved their lead to 4-1.
Merrimack ended the Londonderry scoring run nine minutes later, and 4-2 was where the score wound up.
The Lady Lancers pelted the Merrimack net with some 13 shots in once again out-shooting their opponent. Jazmine Richard made two saves her contribution to the LHS success.
Merrimack slipped to 2-6 with the loss, with the Lady Lancers then looking forward to their annual Mack Plaque match with the Pinkerton Lady Astros in Derry on Saturday the 23rd.
That contest was decided in dramatic fashion with the host Lady Astros scoring twice in the final 10 minutes of the match.
Londonderry snared a 1-0 lead early in period two following a scoreless first half, with Stowell getting set up by Anderson on that big marker.
But Lady Astro Macy Graves potted the tying goal on a penalty kick with 10 minutes left on the clock, and Nicole Alves netted the eventual winner – on an assist from Julia Preston – with just a minute remaining in regulation time.
Pinkerton goalie Reagan Kolinski was good for some 10 saves in the big victory for her crew, with LHS keeper Jazmine Richard making six stops for her side.
This week’s slate had the Lady Lancers looking at a Tuesday match at home against Salem – after Londonderry Times press time – followed by a home battle against Timberlane of Plaistow on Friday.