LANGDON – The Campbell Cougars didn’t care for the ride over Pitcher Mountain to the game, but with a convincing 2-0 win over Fall Mountain on Friday, the return trip will be a little easier to take.
Campbell outplayed the young Wildcats for large chunks of the game but Bruce Ferland’s squad kept the visitors in check as his sophomore goalie Erin Brady was cool and collected in net tonight.
Campbell out-shot FM 8-0 in the first half and Brady’s beautiful save in stoppage time kept the score clean heading into the half. FM’s talented young group including Kyla Eigabroadt, Taylor Hill and Makenna Grillone seemed to be bottled up in the midfield area by the quickness of Campbell.
“I didn’t mind that we were out-shot in the first half as the defense was solid and we kept our shape very well,” said Ferland after the game.
Sarah Murdock, Makayle Waysville and Zoe Utton were busy as Campbell used the entire field to set up crossing passes and runs into the corners in the half.
As the second half began, both teams used the same 4-4-2 set but Campbell began to slide to a 3-4-3 formation that brought midfielder Karleigh Schultz forward. That move gave her space that led to her first goal as she wiggled between the defense and her shot gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead only 3 minutes into the second half.
She would add another goal a few seconds later, but this time it was a lofted shot from 30 yards away that slipped just under the crossbar for a 2-0 lead.
Ferland made some moves of his own as he placed Avery Stewart on the back line and pushed Utton forward. Stewart and Waysville meshed instantly and shut Campbell out for the rest of the game while Utton made two runs on net from crisp passing from Grillione, but Hanna Keane was quick to the ball and pushed the rush away toward the corners.
Brady was solid in net but her offense couldn’t manage a solid shot all evening as the game would end with Campbell improving to 9-2-2 on the year with the 2-0 win.
FM would fall to 6-6-1 on the year with three games remaining. They will head to the always tough Hopkinton (9-3) on Tuesday.
“I think we’re playing well but we just need that leadership from someone that will rally the younger players and take charge out on the field… we are close,” said Ferland after the game.
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