Girls Soccer Can't Muster Offense Against Amesbury

It may have been a false sense of hope with a season-opening 4-0 win over North Reading. Or maybe it was still learning to play with each other early in the season.

Either way, the girls soccer team was unable to get the offense going in a 1-0 loss to visiting Amesbury on Tuesday.

“We were obviously not clicking on all cylinders today,” said coach Chalmers Congdon. “It was a tough loss but we will take what we can from it.”

When asked what that might be, Congdon rattled off, “intensity, communication and working together” off the top of his head.

“This was a tough game to watch (as a coach),” he said. “Our passes weren’t where they needed to be.”

The Generals (1-1) turned up the pressure a bit in the final 20 or so minutes of the game but couldn’t get through the Indians’ defense.

The team's best chance came with 21:45 remaining when Emily Gaucher crossed the ball from the right wing to Sophia Becker. Her shot was blocked and the rebound came out where Samantha Charette, a defender, cranked up a one-timer which sailed over the net.

Gaucher made a nice run with two minutes remaining but dribbled the ball a little too far ahead and Amesbury goalie Sarah Abraham snatched the ball.

“The last 20 minutes we did all we could,” Congdon said.

The lone goal came at the 24:42 mark of the first half. Hamilton-Wenham appeared to escape danger when it cleared the ball out of the goalie box. However, Amesbury defender Emily Martin one-timed the ball from 30 yards out that found the back corner of the net over the out-stretched arms of goalie Taylor Morong.

“Their goalie and defenders kept them in the game,” said Amesbury coach Cathy Berry, whose team was playing its first game of the season. “But we need to capitalize and create more scoring opportunities to give us more of a cushion.”

Generals Maggie Hackett, Addison Shearer and Samantha Charette cleared out practically everything in front of Morong, who was busy all afternoon as Amesbury took close to 15 shots on goal. Becker also controlled the middle of the field to help Hamilton-Wenham transition from offense to defense.

Hamilton-Wenham was missing one of its key offensive players in Alana Vecchhiarello, whose speed can stretch out a defense and open up shooting lanes for other attackers. And midway through the second half starting midfielder Joy Santarelli left with an injured wrist.

“The kids are disappointed, but that is expected when you lose. I emphasized to them that it is a long season and we are just beginning,” Congdon said.