Tiverton Girls Soccer Loses to Barrington in Injury Fund Match [VIDEO]

Division 1 Barrington High School scored a goal midway through the second period Friday and held on to defeat , 1-0, in a Rhode Island Injury Fund girls’ soccer exhibition match played at Gaudet Middle School in Middletown.

Sophomore Elizabeth Nowak took a field from Maggie DeSisto and drilled a hard shot into the short side of the net with 14:55 to play in the second 25-minute period to give the Eagles the only score they would need to defeat the Division 2 Tigers. Barrington preserved its advantage by dominating the rest of the contest with offensive pressure and defensive stinginess, never allowing Tiverton a shot on keeper Olivia Griot in the final session.

The teams played to a scoreless draw during the first period when the Tigers and keeper Haley Higginbottom kept the Eagles off the board. Barrington’s Kim Hoyt shot wide on a break-in effort midway through the session and Higginbottom made a nice save on Elizabeth Nowak’s shot late in the period.

First-year Tiverton Coach Joe Gill substituted most of his starters at the onset of the second period and Barrington capitalized, forcing the action from the opening kickoff and keeping the pressure on Higginbottom. Just beyond the 10-minute mark of the period, the Eagles’ persistence paid off when Nowak fielded DeSisto’s cross, coolly dribbled to the middle of the field, and hammered a shot beyond Higginbottom’s reach for the only score of the contest.

The Tigers returned their starters for the final 10 minutes, but Barrington continued to dominate with Higginbottom forced to make a leaping save on Danielle Fontaine and a stop on Chelsea Larisa from 10 yards out. Larisa also hit the crossbar on a 3-on-2 break late in the match.

“I thought we played well in the first half and our reserves did a nice job in the second half, but when we put our starters back in, they came out flat and just stood around,” said Gill. “The girls are learning a whole new system and we’re playing a lot of kids at different spots now, so it will take some time for us to really get going.”

In other matches played Friday in Middletown, host Middletown High School blanked Rogers High of Newport, 3-0, and Narragansett High School topped Mount Hope High School of Bristol, 2-0. Later contests Friday matched Barrington against Rogers, Tiverton versus Middletown and Narragansett opposite Portsmouth High School.

The Tigers will open their Division 2 regular-season schedule next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Pilgrim High School of Warwick. Gill said he was optimistic about the coming campaign.

“My expectations are always high, no matter where I’m coaching,” Gill said. “I think we can be good. These girls have a tremendous attitude and they always work hard.”

Download the movie