Tag Archives: Emma Woods

September 8, 2017 · 11:07 pm

Gray-New Gloucester gets first win (2-1) on two Alexa Thayer goals vs Lake Region

Emma Woods (8) lines up a direct kick late in the game as Alexa Thayer (4) moves to the front of the net defended by Elaina Sturk (7)

The celebrating begins after the Patriots scored the go-ahead goal late in the game

(Naples ME) The Gray-New Gloucester Patriots came into their meeting with the Lake Region Lakers scoreless and winless after two starts.

That all changed versus LR as second-half goals by junior Alexa Thayer earned the visitors a 2-1 victory in a thunder-delayed game on Friday afternoon.

In a matchup of Class B South opponents, the Lakers scored early in the first half when

Neva Leavitt’s corner kick eludes goalie Chelsea Davis in the first half

GNG goalie Chelsea Davis mishandled Neva Leavitt’s corner kick. It was sophomore Neva’s 2^nd goal of the season.

The Patriots (1-2) controlled play during most of this contest relying on patient passing. LR took the long-ball approach.

By patient passing I mean being willing to pass the ball back and sideways not straight ahead. That patient approach set up numerous scoring chances but this was where Lakers GK Maddie Rock stood out denying several GNG point-blank attempts.

The home team held that 1-0 lead until Alexa Thayer responded to a rebound off an Emma Woods shot from the right side and tapped in the game-tying tally with 18:56 left in the second half. The Patriots were thereby able to end their scoreless streak at 222 minutes.

“We have been focusing on following up on rebounds,” said GNG’s 7^th year coach Kiaran McCormack afterwards. “You don’t score style points. If you can be there for a rebound two yards out it counts the same as a 20-yard rocket to the top corner.”

The Patriots pressure had led to several direct kicks during the game. On almost every occasion the kick had gone over or wide. Finally, late in this match, junior Emma Woods put a hard shot on net from straight away on a direct kick that turned up a juicy rebound for Alexa camped to GK Maddie Rock’s right. Alexa’s tap-in gave GNG the lead and was indeed the game-winner with only 2:28 left.

Alexa Thayer’s game-winner gets past LR goalie Maddie Rock

Neva Leavitt scored the Lakers goal on a corner kick in the first half

The game got off to an ominous start as the rumble of thunder forced a 30-minute delay. After that it was typical Maine weather: sunshine, clouds, sunshine, clouds, but in this section of Naples, no more rain.

I was most impressed with the way Gray-New Gloucester kept control of the ball. Their passing and dribbling forced LR to chase for a high percentage of the game. That can be tiring and it may have caught up to the Lakers in the end game.

Emma Woods was a standout in the center of the field for the Patriots. The senior took control of a number of goal kicks and was a skillful dribbler/passer. Emma also had assists on both goals.

The best player on the field? I would take junior Neva Leavitt of Lake Region (0-2). She beat defenders all game long with clever dribbling.

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

Alexa Thayer (4) moves in on a rebound that will end up as a goal for GNG

Save in traffic

The run back after a goal

Emma Dyer

Lauren Jakobs

Bri Jordan (11), Aisley Sturk (5) and Lauren Jakobs (16)

Bri Jordan (11) and Kenzie Siebert (3)

Chelsea Davis saves

Jordy Grant

Brooke Harriman (23) pushes past Abbey Michaud (6)

Chandler True

Jordy Grant (10), Danica Chadwick (24), and Alexa Thayer )4)

Late goal gets Gray-New Gloucester past Fryeburg Academy 3-2 in girls’ soccer

Emma Woods (#8) redirects the game-winner for Gray-New Gloucester with 3.5 seconds left

Maria Valente set up a goal and scored one

(Fryeburg ME) In the midst of the Fryeburg Fair and some fine foliage a pretty good girls’ soccer game broke out.

Visiting Gray-New Gloucester took the lead for the third and final time with 3.5 seconds left to defeat Fryeburg Academy, 3-2, on a cloudy Tuesday afternoon of Western Maine Conference Class B soccer.

Freshman Emma Woods headed in the game-winner off of a throw-in by senior Maria Valente in the closing seconds.

It was a tough loss for the (2-4-2) Raiders. The home team was scored on early in each half but recovered each time. Kaylin Delaney’s penalty kick produced the final tie with less than five minutes left in the game.

With no overtime period played during the regular season, both teams pressed for the win in the final minutes. In the closing minute, GNG’s Kaelyn Woods kept the ball in play down the right sidelines before the Raiders kicked the ball out-of-bounds with under fifteen seconds remaining. Maria Valente had to really hustle to get from her defensive spot to the throw-in attempt. She did and had the ball in the air with few seconds left. The ball came into the near-side of the box area with plenty of steam on it. Emma Woods leaped high and redirected Maria’s throw-in to the far corner of the goal.

Sarah Giggey had two assists on corner kicks

This was Emma’s second goal of the game and 8th of the 2014 season. Maria’s assist was her 5th of the season and her 5th assist against FA over the past three seasons.

Gray-New Gloucester (4-4) had two of their goals set up by junior Sarah Giggey’s corner kicks.

Both goalies (GNG-Zoe Adams, FA-Makayla Cooper) faced numerous dangerous shots. The most dangerous, of the dangerous, were long rips by the Raiders’ Esme Hernendez.

Esme did get a goal (14:15) in the first half. A throw-in by Lexi L’Heureux-Carland from the left was headed by Kaylin Delaney and the ball reached Esme alone in front. Esme applied the finishing touch.

Emma Woods headed in the opening goal of the game (33:07). The freshman was parked in the middle and GK Makayla Cooper was centered in the net. Emma was able to head the ball down and past Makayla to the FA goalie’s left.

The Patriots clicked early (36:22) in the second half. Sarah Giggey sent a corner kick in from the left that found Maria Valente in traffic near the far post for yet another headed goal.

Julia Quinn dribbles ahead

As the minutes wound down in the second half the Raiders turned up the pressure, especially Julia Quinn and Anna Manahor, and got what they needed at 4:52………….a penalty shot.

From where I was standing it looked as if defender Caitlin Holmquist got a hand on the ball in the box.

Kaylin Delaney took the PK and scored with a shot that went in on the left after caroming off the goal post.

Later Emma Woods, from Maria Valente, would collect the game-winner giving GNG their sixth straight victory over Fryeburg Academy.

Both teams resume play on Thursday at 6PM. FA will be at Wells while GNG will host Poland.

Emily Hotham and Julia Quinn

A key to the victory for GNG was the return of senior Emily Hotham to the Patriots defense. I am not certain when the injured defender returned but I saw the Patriots without her in their loss to Lake Region. Her presence this afternoon made a difference.

I like to arrive at games at least a half-hour early. Good thing this afternoon since the scheduled 3:30PM start turned out to be a 3PM start.

If you’re a defender and the pressure is on, it is usually a good idea to kick the ball out of bounds. This gives the defense a chance to set up in front of the goalie. That strategy can backfire, however, when a team plays Gray-New Gloucester. Why? Because Maria Valente takes the sideline throw-ins for GNG and is strong enough to throw the ball into the box almost every time. Granted the defense is organized but so also is the Patriots offense. With plenty of bodies in the area and the ball in the air, bad things can happen, and they did today for FA in the closing seconds.

Erasme Herendez (22) alone in front

The speed and hustle of Ori Inirio was noticeable. Some forwards run hard when the ball in near them and then trot or walk. Not Ori, she seemed to run from end to end. She had a couple of pretty good chances as a result.

(I can add/subtract with this blog so if I messed up something let me know and I will change it.)

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

loose ball

Emma Woods (8) nods in the first Patriots goal

Ashley Moreau and Lexi LHeureux-Carland

victory celebrating begins

Kaylin Delaney takes a penalty shot

Erasme Hernendez and Kiersten Stritch

GNG goalie Zoe Adams jumps for a save

Izzy Detroy, Maria Valente, and Emma Woods celebrate a goal

Maria Valente (18) in position to head in a goal

loose ball

Late goal gets Lake Region past Gray-New Gloucester 4-3 in Western Maine Conference Class B girls soccer

Sophomore Kristen Huntress sets to rip home the game-winner with 23 seconds left.

Junior Maddie Simms had the hat trick for Lake Region

(Naples ME) The Lake Region Lakers girls soccer team defeated the Gray-New Gloucester Patriots, 4-3, on a controversial goal with 23 seconds left on Friday night in Western Maine Conference action.

Sophomore Kristen Huntress ripped home the game-winner after a collision and a turnover gave her a wide-open, close-in, look.

GNG coach Kiaran McCormack protested the goal vehemently enough to draw a yellow card. He could have been complaining about the collision between the Lakers’ Melody Millett and the Patriots’ Izzy Detroy that put Kristen Huntress into glorious scoring position or the apparent off-sides by at least two Lakers. Take your pick. They both appeared to have credence but on this night play continued and the excited Lakers had a very happy ending.

The wind was a factor in this game. GNG (2 goals) had it in the first half and the Lakers (3 goals) in the second.

Junior Maddie Simms registered a hat trick for LR. Her third goal put the home team ahead 3-2 with 12 1/2 minutes left in the game. That lead looked like it might hold up but with 1:25 to go, freshman Emma Woods beat Lakers GK Isabel Scribner to the ball and tied the score. It was Emma’s second goal of the game and 5th of the season.

The Patriots celebrate the tying goal with 1:25 left in the game.

And again that goal looked like it would hold up but the Lakers pressure produced the game-winner by Kristen Huntress just over a minute later.

The Patriots (1-2) had a bunch of chances in the first half led by sophomore Kaelyn Woods.

The most dangerous player for the Patriots, in my opinion, was senior Maria Valente. It was her throw-ins that were so amazing. She put several long-distance tosses into the box setting up scoring chances. Sarah Giggey capitalized on one of Maria’s throw-ins in the first half to give GNG a 2-1 lead.

Maria Valente had an assist on a throw-in

The Patriots hit the crossbar in each half.

Kristen Huntress had a great look at a straightaway shot that sailed just over the crossbar in the second half.

The Lakers (2-1) are off to a surprising start. Last season LR won only two games all season. Last season LR scored a total of eleven goals. Already they have six. It certainly has helped the Lakers to start the season with three straight home games. Can they do as well away from home?

Sophomore Melody Millett had assists on the first and fourth Lakers’ goals.

A big part of the Lakers’ early success has been the quality defensive play of Devynn Turner and Katie Throgmorton. Their decision making has been solid.

Lakers’ GK Isabel Scribner continued with her very aggressive style. Despite being burned twice taking chances, she robbed the visitors several times using the same approach. Fun to watch but I’m not sure what it does for the LR coaching staffs’ heart rate!

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)