Allard's Late Heroics Lift South Windsor Over Manchester

Another 11 seconds and it would have ended in a draw.

Senior forward Christine Allard nodded home the game-winner with just 11 seconds left in the second overtime to lift the South Windsor High girls soccer team to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over CCC North rival Manchester High on Thursday.

The victory marked the second time this season that the Bobcats (9-1) came back from a goal down to defeat the Indians (5-5).

“It was amazing,” head coach Ed Duclos said in a telephone interview.

Duclos said that South Windsor started out sluggish and paid the price in the seventh minute, when Manchester forward Anna Manser scored to put Manchester High up 1-0.

Manchester then put 10 behind the ball in an attempt to thwart the South Windsor attack.

It nearly paid off, but a patient, mature South Windsor picked holes in the Manchester defense and eventually found the equalizer in the 51st minute when Becca Karlins scored off an assist from Becca Russo.

The game remained tied until Allard’s heroics off a corner kick.

“For 83 minutes, we played solid soccer,” Duclos said. “We demonstrated that even though some of kids were banged up, we did whatever it took and found a way.”

Duclos cited the play of two of his backs - Tori Russo and Julia Galvin - who thwarted the Indians’ attempts at goal.

“They did an outstanding job,” Duclos said.