Undermanned English girls soccer team falls

LYNN – The deck was stacked against the English girls soccer team Thursday night, with three of its starters out due to injury – and they were three important players too.And while the subs did their best, Gloucester still came out ahead, 2-0.The Bulldogs (3-6) were without co-captain Shannon Kidney, as well as Brianna Vaughan and Alex Henry.”I hope to get (them) back (in time for Monday’s game against Classical),” English coach Ed McNeil said. “Shawna (Henry) can’t do it alone.”(Keeper) Lindsay Roy in the net was awesome,” said McNeil. “I don’t know how she made some of those saves. Gloucester was terrific. Now we have to get ready for the city series.”Shawna Henry, along with subs Marnie Biondi, Briana Goulet and Katherine Lozano, teamed up to do a very respectable job in shutting down a quick Gloucester team. But between the injury, and a stiff wind at their backs for the first half, the Bulldogs had an uphill climb.For the first 20 minutes of the game, both teams played a kick-and-run offense. But neither team had any advantage.However, ocne Gloucester coach Alex White had the Fishermen, who were running into the wind, go to a short quick passing game, the Fishermen got some opportunities.that presented more opportunities to shoot.At about the 30-minute mark, English started playing a similar style. For the last 10 minutes of the half, both keepers, Laura Spillman of Gloucester, and Roy were busy saving some well-taken shots, and the half ended scoreless.Both teams opened the second half playing the short passing game. The only difference was that Gloucester had the wind at its backIn the first seven minutes, The Fishermen peppered the English net with nine shots, all of which would have gone in except for the amazing saves made by Roy. English was starting to tire and Coach Ed McNeil was forced to use some of his freshman to play mid-field and defender.The defenders were backing in on the keeper, leaving midfield with no English players. Gloucester, controlling mid-field, was able to dominate the Bulldogs end. In the 53rd minute, it finally paid off for Gloucester. Clare Pleuler carried the ball, unmarked down the left wing and passed it through the arc to Bianca Giacalone. She was in the top right corner of the area and she one-timed the shot to the top right side to give Gloucester a 1-0 lead.Six minutes later, in the 59th minute, Pleuler recovered an errant clearing pass near the end line on the left side. She dribbled out through the area to about the penalty spot where she turned and fired one over the diving Bulldog keeper to push the score to 2-0 in favor of Gloucester.”We always have a great game with English,” White said. “I have been here for three years and we always have a tough game. We were very lucky to get a ball past their keeper.”Gloucester’s next game is against St. Mary’s, with Spartans Jim Foley scouting from the front row in the stands.