While it’s safe to say that the Londonderry High girls’ soccer team’s first loss of the 2018 campaign – a stunning 2-1 overtime downer in Mack Plaque play against Pinkerton – on Saturday, Sept. 22 was a real punch to the gut for the Lancers, it’s also safe to state that the LHS crew wasn’t about to go into any sort of swoon over that defeat.
And the Lady Lancers proved that statement last week by defeating both Manchester Central and then Goffstown in moving to an absolutely stellar 9-1 in tough Division I.
The locals advanced their season mark to 8-1 – and bagged their second straight victory since the Mack loss – with a 2-1 edging of the Manchester Central Little Green at LHS last Thursday, Sept. 27.
The hosts netted the lone goal of the first half when Olivia Stowell took a pass from Katie McCudden and put a shot past the Central keeper with just two minutes to go.
The visitors tallied the equalizer eight minutes into the second half, but the Lady Lancers bagged the game-winner in minute number 75 when Stowell set up Ashley Manor.
Londonderry received nine saves from Jasmine Richards, who saw her teammates smack some 13 shots on Manchester keeper Jessica Lewis. The Queen City side slipped to 5-2 with the defeat.
And the Lady Lancers bounced their season record mark up to 9-1 with a dominant performance in a 4-0 blanking of the host Goffstown High Grizzlies on Saturday, Sept. 29.
The LHS contingent scored twice in each half, with Alyssa Anderson being set up by Abbie Ellis in minute 14 and Ellis scoring an unassisted marker on a free kick five minutes later.
The local ladies then put the match and their opponent away with second half tallies from Ashley Manor (assist to Anderson) early in half number two and then point machine Anderson herself in minute 50 on a direct boot off of a corner.
The Lady Lancers pelted an astounding 24 shots on shell-shocked Goffstown goalie Emma Strong, and LHS keeper Richards contributed four stops to her squad’s fifth shutout of 2018.
The LHS contingent then bounded into this week seeking a fourth straight win in a Monday road match at Salem High against a weak Salem Lady Blue Devils’ bunch which had only won once this season.