Spirited Second Half Not Enough for Girls Soccer

Brookline High assistant varsity soccer coach Aubrey Love liked what he saw from his troops during a spirited second half against host Needham Friday at Cricket Field. But the Warriors fell to the powerful Rockets, 2-0, in Bay State Conference action.

"We worked harder and we needed to win more 50-50 balls, and I think that's what we did," Love said of his squad's second half effort. "I think Needham kind of plays aggressive, so to stay with them, it says a lot."

The Warriors (1-1), who were out-shot, 19-11, kept the ball in the Needham end a great deal longer in the last 40 minutes than they did in the opening stanza. But the Rockets (1-0) had enough in them to hold off several Brookline flurries, after they took a 1-0 lead with just 39 seconds left in the first half.

"That is the best Brookline team I've seen in five years," Needham veteran coach Carl Tarabelli said, noting the Warriors' super opening day win over Milton.  "[Lily] Lanier is the real deal, and they got some good midfield players. I got a lot of respect for them. We were lucky to get away with [a] 2-nothing [win]."

Lanier, a senior defender, and fellow back Ella MacVeigh were tenacious in clogging the midfield in the first frame, and Kristen Chin and Taylor Hetnik chimed in with some gritty play in the back. But Needham finally had its say when Jess Newfield drilled a rebound shot to the low left side for a 1-0 lead.

The goal came after Hetnik fended off the initial rush, but the Warriors couldn't get the ball out of their zone. Brookline senior goalie Jen Chuck made a beautiful two-handed block save on the first shot. But Newfield pounced on the second chance from a few feet out, and within a split second lit the board for the Rockets.

Brookline almost tied it early in the second half when senior star striker Mary Elcock's blast veered just wide left. And there were other Warrior chances, but Needham goalie Victoria Tarabelli held the fort with several catch saves to the near and far sides.  

Chuck, meanwhile, continued her terrific play in net for Brookline. She often came out of the net to break up strong Rocket rushes, and her aggressive play and quickness around the goal allowed the Warriors to stay in the game, despite Needham's 5-1 advantage in corner kicks.

"Jen Chuck is easily one the best goalies in the state," Love said. "She's absolutely outstanding."

The Rockets got one more by her on a nifty direct kick that Needham standout Courtney Steeves lofted over Chuck's head into the left corner late in the second stanza.

But Love was glad his squad made a significant turnaround in its overall play, after a sub-par first half.

"We're definitely past the building point and on the way to turning out the kind of play we think can pay off," the coach said.