Winthrop girls soccer frustrates English

LYNN – With the Winthrop girls soccer team struggling to score goals, English coach Ed McNeil saw an opportunity to at least compete for a much-needed victory.However, it didn?t turn out that way. Instead, the Vikings scored a 4-1 victory at Manning Field on Tuesday.?We were flat,” said McNeil. “I could tell it in warm-ups. Winthrop was clearly the aggressor all the way.”Vikings coach Tracy Martucci said offense has been a struggle this season.?In our last three games, we only scored one goal,” she said. “So getting four goals today will be a real confidence booster for the team.?We?ve really been struggling,” she said. “And we?re coming off a tough week where we had Swampscott, Marblehead and Peabody. So this is a good win for us.”English has similar offensive issues. And that became evident when the Bulldogs gave up Winthrop?s second goal with less than a minute to go in the first half.In the 17th minute of the first half, Winthrop?s Holli Benson made it 1-0 when her shot banked in off the far post.Nikki Tsiotos made it 2-0 in the closing seconds of the half, and McNeil said that was the back-breaker.?That was the goal that did it,” McNeil said. “We have trouble scoring as it is, so coming back from two goals is difficult for us.”Regina Garufo?s goal in the 27th minute made it 3-0. She took a point-blank shot on Winthrop keeper Kaitlyn Nadeau and simply beat her.English got one back when Veronica Uk put one in, but Winthrop got the lead back up to three on Caitlin Page?s goal with a little over three minutes left.English lost the services of tri-captain Katherine Lozano, who hurt her ankle early in the second half. McNeil estimates she?ll be out at least the next game. The Bulldogs were already down a player due to a red card being issued last week.