Pats shut out by Oakers in D-I opener

By Matt Metcalf
Posted 9/6/16

The Pilgrim girls' soccer team's Division I opener was spoiled by Coventry on Friday afternoon, as the Oakers scored early and cruised to a 3-0 victory on their home turf. Coventry took control from the opening whistle,

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Pats shut out by Oakers in D-I opener

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The Pilgrim girls’ soccer team’s Division I opener was spoiled by Coventry on Friday afternoon, as the Oakers scored early and cruised to a 3-0 victory on their home turf.

Coventry took control from the opening whistle, out-shooting and out-possessing the Pats. However, Pilgrim head coach Tom Flanders wasn’t disappointed in his team’s effort.

After graduating nearly its entire starting lineup from a season ago, Pilgrim will certainly encounter some ups and downs in the state’s top division this fall.

“We’re a work in progress,” Flanders said. “We’re trying to recover from losing nine starters last year, and we’re slowly starting to figure things out. Our second half was much better than our first today. We woke up in the second half and played some good soccer. The goals didn’t happen, but the intent was there.”

Coventry put the pressure on early and often and, near the 10-minute mark, it was able to break the scoreless tie.

Sophomore striker Jordan Dwyer dribbled the ball to the left corner before feeding a cross into the middle of the field. Her pass found an unmarked Madison Resendes, who tapped a shot past Pilgrim keeper Madison Dowling to make it 1-0.

Fourteen minutes later, Coventry got a lucky bounce to help up its lead.

Off of a Coventry corner kick, a Pilgrim defender gained possession through a scrum in front of the goal. However, her clearing attempt hit off Coventry freshman Anna Kalooski and into the back of the net to double the advantage to 2-0.

Pilgrim had a chance to respond in the 37th minute when Alyssa Andrews had a good look unmarked, but her shot rolled wide of the left post.

The Oakers held that two-goal cushion heading into the break, and it didn’t take long for them to add to that lead in the second half.

Just three minutes in, junior Lauren Deus battled for control in front before firing a rocket that found its way underneath the crossbar to give Coventry a 3-0 lead.

After that, though, Pilgrim played much better defensively.

Unfortunately, it couldn’t get anything going offensively against a sound Coventry team.

Good possession time led to a free kick outside of the box 15 minutes into the second frame for Pilgrim, but the shot was blocked down by a Coventry defender.

The Pats had chances to spring forwards Alexis Vieira and Kat Raposo at times in the second half, but those opportunities were again neutralized by a strong Coventry defense.

“Even though we didn’t score, what they were trying to do was good,” Flanders said. “We’ll just keep trying to work on that and get more proficient at moving the ball. The second half was much better defensively, we just have to find a way to find that goal.”

After being one of the top teams in Division II over the past few seasons, Pilgrim is excited to have the opportunity to play in D-I – something the program has earned with its recent play.

“It’s something based on record of past, and the program has done really well,” Flanders said about the move to D-I. “Now, we got the call up. I think they’re excited about it and they’ve taken it on as a challenge. That’s what we want to do as soccer players, human beings, is challenge ourselves, and this is certainly a challenge.”

Pilgrim will look to grab its first win of the season tonight when it hosts Cumberland at 6 p.m. at Warwick Vets.

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