Somers Soccer Rallies for Tie With Windsor Locks

On Tuesday, the Somers High School girls' soccer team rallied from two goals down to earn a 3-3 tie with visiting Windsor Locks.

With 20 minutes to go and trailing 3-1, the Spartans were determined to not go out without a fight on Senior Night, the last home regular season game for the four seniors.

Somers stunned Windsor Locks with two goals from seniors Kathryn O’Connor and Kelsey Sloan to earn a tie in a game that Somers Coach Mike Pantuosco said very much resembled a state tournament game.

Windsor Locks got off to a strong start and put a 2-0 lead on the scoreboard at halftime with both goals by Shelbie Carr. The first was the result of a misplayed ball by the Somers defense and the second on a well placed volley from 20 yards.

Somers came out with much more desire in the second half and with 28 minutes remaining were awarded a direct kick from the left sideline. O’Connor hit a low cross into the box which Kathryn LaVallee cleanly trapped, pivoted and placed in the lower right corner to cut the lead in half.

But just a few minutes later, Windsor Locks got that goal back on a breakaway which eluded Somers goalie Hailee Stetson. That was when the seniors decided they would dictate the outcome. Led by senior defenders Kylen O’Hearn and Kelsey Charette, Somers dominated the defensive end, leading to more scoring chances.

O’Connor picked up a loose ball outside the 18, and lofted a shot that fooled Windsor Locks All-State goalie Chelsea Santos. Minutes later LaVallee beat her defender down the right side and fired a rocket that hit the post in the upper left corner and caromed across the goal line. That’s when Sloan scored her first goal of the season by running the ball, and several Windsor Locks defenders, into the back of the net to make it 3-3.

Somers continued to pressure the goal but Santos thwarted many good opportunities.

As the rain continued, the game went to overtime and ended in a 3-3 tie with both teams exhausted from a very physical battle.

Somers' record went to 6-6-2 and Windsor Locks is 5-5-3 as both teams move on to the state tournament.

Somers travels to Coventry on Friday.