Girls duel to tie in "game of season"
BY LINDAWILLIAMS
With Friday's game against Lighthouse Conference opponent Sturgis cancelled due to no fast boat, the Nantucket varsity girls' soccer team only had one game last week, but what a game it was. In what a proud and virtually speechless coach Jorge Rojas called "the best game of the season," the girls took Cape Cod Academy to the mat, ending the game knotted at 0-0. With the tie, CCA took the Conference championship and advanced automatically to the playoffs. Nantucket finished off the week with a record of 4-6-3.

Even an hour after the game, a stunned and very happy Rojas was the lone figure still sitting on the field reliving what in his mind was a resounding giant leap forward for the team. "It was a glimpse of the 2007 championship team today. I enjoyed it fully and it is what you coach for. The talent has been there and all I wanted was for them to know that they had it."

Despite the relentless onslaught of Nantucket's offense, "we just could not find the net today and nothing would go in," opined Rojas. Keeper Shantall Hannigan stayed in goal for the game and stopped at least seven hard shots on goal. Aileen Fredericks, Molly MacKay and Kate MacLellan would narrowly miss shots, either hitting the crossbar, the post or going just wide. "The chances were there, we just could not convert."

Towards the end of the game, just after CCA's last scoring drive that was stymied by Hannigan with an outstanding save just in front of the net, Nantucket had its best scoring chance. MacLellan, the lone striker for the team that day, was sent a perfectly placed shot from MacKay that hit the ground just in front of the charging keeper and right on MacLellan's foot. MacLellan beat the defense with the only person left in her way being the keeper. The keeper made a hard tackle to preserve the tie but left MacLellan dazed and caused frustration for Nantucket over the questionable non-call against the keeper for obstruction. CCA seemed to be playing for the tie, slowing the game down for the last ten minutes and continuously putting the ball out of bounds. Rojas felt that "they did what they had to do against us." Unfortunately, the final whistle came just as MacLellan was making another charge on the net and the game ended as it started, with dependable, even, solid play from both teams.

Rojas felt that Nantucket's unsung defense of Maxine Daniels, Haley Cabre, Ashley Martin, Bethaney Gray and Whitney Jennison, kept the team in the game. Many times this season it has been the strength of the defense that has allowed the offense to do its job.

Especially encouraging was the play of the freshmen, such as twelth man Cecelia Gutierrez, whose speed and agility on the field was important in the game. "It is what a coach looks for, you hope the players have it and today it confirmed they all have it." Rojas enthused. "The women get it so quickly, maturity on the field is key and the team has evolved as a team in just eight weeks. The way we played today, we can beat anyone."

"Sometimes there is no reason to say anything to them during the game. This was one of those times. There are ugly games and there are good games, and today, this was soccer!" Opposing Coach Aaron Crowell,

excited about clinching the title, praised the Nantucket team after the game. "We beat this team 5-2 the last time and beat them in the pre-season scrimmage, but this team today had no resemblance to the team we played earlier. They have come a long way." He went on to say, "it was a terrific game, well played all around with some tense moments for both teams." Nantucket was CCA's only tie in conference play, as the team went undefeated.

The team finishes up the season in a flurry of activity, facing Savio Prep away today, Cohasset away tomorrow, next Monday at Martha's Vineyard and finally at home next Tuesday at 3 p.m. against Mashpee.

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