Girls’ soccer loses heartbreaker in Div. 2 state finals
By Jay Turner
Lauren Berman, Megan Barrera and Zarina Brune during Saturday's post-game ceremonies (Mike Barucci photo)
In the end, the better team didn’t win.
Call it hometown bias or just plain shock, but that was the overwhelming sentiment among hundreds of Bulldog faithful after the CHS girls’ soccer team fell to Auburn in the Division 2 state championship game Saturday at Worcester State University.
Playing on the biggest sports stage of their young careers, the Bulldogs certainly looked like they belonged as they outshot, outworked, and generally outperformed the central champion Rockets for the better part of the game.
They just couldn’t find the back of the net, while Auburn, which only had a few scoring chances all afternoon, made one of theirs count as they held on for the 1-0 victory.
It was a heartbreaking finish for a Bulldog team that had only lost one other game all season. And it left the girls searching for answers on a night when they should have been celebrating with the program’s first-ever state title.
Even Paul Turner, the team’s normally reserved head coach, could not hide his disappointment after the loss.
“I don’t think I ever felt so devastated after a soccer game,” he said. “We should have gone all the way. We should have won the game.”
Turner said his team seemed to be in “complete control” of the match from the opening kickoff, led by senior Kensey Waterman and junior Brianna Duserick, who dominated the midfield for the south sectional champs.
The Bulldogs also had countless chances to score, including a strike from junior Meg Lennon late in the game that hit the crossbar, as well as a number of quality chances in the first half that ended in “breathtaking” saves by the Rocket goalkeeper.
Turner also praised the Auburn defense, calling it one of the stingiest that Canton has faced all season.
“Auburn was very organized and very physical at the back,” said Turner. “We just couldn’t break them down. We did everything but score.”
It was a bitter pill to swallow, especially for a team that had been so dominant offensively — including as recently as last Wednesday, when the Bulldogs cruised to a 3-0 victory over Newburyport in a rain-soaked state semifinals. Junior captain Lauren Berman led the way in that game, scoring two goals, including one in the second minute of play. Lennon, another major part of the offense, scored the game’s other goal.
There were several other key contributors this year — including seniors Kayla Laughlin and Vicky Tondre up top; seniors Megan Barrera and Zarina Brune in the back, as well as sophomore Kim McNally and freshman Hailee Duserick, and goalkeepers Kristin Burns and Kelly Bradley.
Individually they all had their moments, but together they took the Hockomock League by storm and made history as the first Canton soccer team to ever reach a state final.
And until another team can top them, they have earned the right to be called the greatest CHS girls’ soccer team ever assembled.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=9871
Posted by Jay Turner
on Nov 24 2011. Filed under High School, Sports.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
