Girls Soccer Team Loses First Scrimmage, but Coach is Confident

The Chelmsford High School girls soccer team may have lost 3-2 in their first scrimmage of the season, but Coach Christine Kalukiewicz isn't worried.

The match against Groton-Dunstable Regional High School started off with a struggle for the Chelmsford Lions. Groton-Dunstable scored the first two goals as Chelmsford players had a hard time keeping possession of the ball.

"They were pushing us around on the field," said Kalukiewicz. "We need to work on the first touch and possession of the ball."

Goalie Brianna Raymond made some key saves for the team.

The game picked up when Chelmsford scored about 10 minutes into the second half, and again about 10 minutes later to tie it up. Gina Shaw and Rachel Hanna scored those goals.

"We were moving more, possessing the ball," she said. "They weren't pushing us around as much."

However, the Groton-Dunstable Crusaders scored one last goal and finished on top, 3-2.

With only four seniors this year, 10 seniors having graduated last year, Kalukiewicz said her young team is made up of tough girls.

"We need to work on the first touch, possessing, our positions," she said. "They have a good attitude."

She's confident Chelmsford will come out on top in the conference, Kalukiewicz said.

"We look better now than we did at this time last year," she said.

Kalukiewicz said she used the scrimmage to scope out the younger players and look to fill some starting positions that are still open.

"We only have 16 girls on this varsity team, so we have a lot of open positions," she said.