English, Classical girls soccer feeling optimistic

Both the Lynn English and Lynn Classical girls soccer squads struggled last season, but the coaches of the Bulldogs and Rams – Ed McNeil and Marcy Durgin, respectively – are hopeful for the 2009 campaign.Practice began for each team on Thursday, and the two schools will appropriately begin the regular season on Sept. 9 in the Lynn City Tournament. English plays St. Mary’s, while Classical plays Tech.English touts defenseWhen it comes to his team, English coach Ed McNeil is quick to praise his defense.”We’ll be a very good defensive team,” McNeil said, noting that the Bulldogs return an all-Northeastern Conference goalie in senior tri-captain Brittany Goulet, plus all of the team defense from 2008. Goulet posted a 1.96 goals-against average last year to go with six shutouts – which included one of the team’s two wins – and five scoreless ties.As that scoreless tie streak indicates, offense could be a problem for the Bulldogs this season.”We need more offense,” McNeil said. “Getting Megan (senior tri-captain Megan Forti) back from last year will generate our offense.”Forti, who also excels academically (she is ranked second in her class) is one of the good stories of the 2009 Bulldogs. She led the team in scoring as a freshman and sophomore, but missed last season with a torn ACL (her second such injury). Now she is ready to return.”Our weakness last year was offense,” McNeil said. “We didn’t score any goals. She looks better than ever.”In total, there are 15 returning players. They include seniors Cara Crowley, a defenseman who joins Goulet and Forti as a captain and whom her coach called “a very good player”; Maura Coyle (“a terrific fullback/defender”); and Tiffany Drown, a forward who has also pitched for the softball team.”We have nice senior leadership,” McNeil saluted. “My seniors are good players and good kids.”Yet while one senior, Forti, returns from an injury, another will be sidelined: Maria Beaulieu will miss her senior soccer season.In addition, McNeil must find players to compensate for losing five members of the Class of 2008: Lauren Hinkle, Jenna Henry, Ashley Keighley, Devon Robinson, and Marina Biondi.”They’ll be tough to replace,” McNeil said. “Six regulars from last year are gone. Spots are open. Hopefully, some incoming freshmen I haven’t seen yet will materialize.”Rounding out the returning players are juniors Shawna and Alex Henry (“very good players”; Shawna Henry was an all-conference sweeper and “our best defender”), Lindsay Roy (“She can play anywhere”), Shannon Kidney, Brianna Vaughan (whose father, Brian, is coach of the football team), and forward Sarah Hinkle; and sophomores Mackenzie Clark and Hayley Mah.Sixteen players showed up for the first day of practice at Manning Field.”Our numbers are low,” McNeil said. “More will come out. I know they will.”Between now and the start of the season, the Bulldogs will be busy: They have scrimmages scheduled against Hamilton-Wenham (Saturday), Amesbury, Classical, Ipswich, and Bishop Fenwick.As for the regular season?”We’re going to be very competitive,” McNeil said. “We open with St. Mary’s and play Everett the next day. We’ll play in the Lynn Tournament Saturday against either Classical or Tech, hopefully in the title game. We have the league schedule right off the bat with Peabody, one of the top if not the top in the league.”This is McNeil’s fifth year as head coach and seventh season with the team, including two years as an assistant under Kevin Driscoll.Classical counting on underclass talentClassical coach Marcy Durgin has been part of the Rams program for the past 12 years, eight as an assistant and four as head coach. This season, however, she has seen something unprecedented in her tenure: Her team has only one senior, sweeper and captain Kelly Deveney.”I’ve been coaching at Classical for (12) years,” Durgin said. “It’s never happened. The last two years, I graduated nine seniors each year.”Twelve players, all with varsity experience, return for 20