November 24, 2024
SCHOOLGIRL SOCCER

Undefeated Broncos shut down Rams

BANGOR – In a 6-0 soccer win it would be easy to focus on the goals scored and overlook a team’s defensive effort.

But in the Hampden Academy girls team’s 6-0 win over Bangor Thursday the Broncos played a smothering defense, not allowing the Rams a shot at goal until there was just 3:50 left in the first half.

And late in the second half when the 8-3-1 Bangor managed to sustain pressure on the Broncos’ goal, goalkeeper Gabby Schrage was exceptional. The senior repeatedly came off her line and threw her body in front of shots.

Schrage’s best moment came with 17:20 to go when she stopped Laura Clarke’s penalty kick. Schrage didn’t guess which way the shot would go as many goalies do.

“I stared at the ball the entire time. I just watched the ball. I didn’t look at the player at all. I watched the movement of the ball and somehow I got hold of it,” Schrage said.

Danielle Billings scored three goals for 12-0 Hampden but downplayed her role in the win.

“We all came together today. We played well together. Listened to each other. Talked to each other,” the senior said.

Still, Billings should be applauded for her hustle. All three of her goals came as the result of her pursuit of the ball and her ability to put the shot away once she got to the ball.

“They were just Johnny on the spot every second, weren’t they,” Bangor coach Jeff Ingalls said. “They were there for rebounds and made good strikes and probably outhustled us a little bit.”

Erin Campbell also scored for the Broncos on the rebound of a shot and Annaliese Lafayette scored on a header off a cross from Kim Stephenson, who finished the game with two assists.

The Broncos final goal came on a bicycle kick from 10 yards out by Emmy Russell.

Russell has been the starting goalie for the Broncos for three years but is suffering from a bulging disc in her back. She has been cleared to play in the field but not in goal and the Broncos have been leaning on Schrage for the past five games.

“[Russell] has been our starter for three years. Gabby’s always felt like she was second fiddle. But we’ve been blessed with two great goalies. Gabby’s accepted her role tremendously. She got her opportunity and she didn’t try to do it all in one touch. She’s taken it game by game,” Hampden coach Kurt Mathies said.

Schrage made 8 saves on 10 shots for Hampden while Bangor’s Ilyse Angst stopped 6 of 16 shots.


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