Sports

Weekend Recap: 4 goals leads GM to semifinals

Staff Report
Powered by Ben Munukka’s two goals, the Division III defending state champion Green Mountain boys soccer team trimmed Winooski 4-1 in Saturday’s game.

One of Munukka’s goals was a penalty kick. Ty Merrill and Everett Mosher knocked in the other goals for the No. 3 Chieftains.

Green Mountain will take a 12-2 record into Wednesday’s semifinal match at home against No. 7 Enosburg, who is 7-2.

The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday but pushed back because of field conditions.

Here is a recap of local weekend sports:

Sunapee girls defeat Concord Christian Academy 3-1

Concord Christian Academy made Sunapee work for every inch of a field in need of a lot of care en route to a 3-1 victory that has the Lakers advancing to the Division IV semifinal game for the 11th straight season.

It was a physical game on a short pitch that yielded a lot of midfield battles. Sunapee got on the score sheet 20 minutes in when Liz Tschudin was brought down in the box. Abby Pollari made no mistake with the penalty kick and put the Lakers on top 1-0. Brynn Smith followed shortly after with a nice goal off a Izzy Correa feed, on a one time touch to the left panel of the net. Sunapee seemed to have things under control when Natalie Austin finished a far bar run with a nice goal off a cross from Brynn Smith shortly into the second half, but Concord Christian Academy would score minutes later on a lofted ball that found the upper corner.

The game would end 3-1 in Sunapee’s favor, but the game would finish with back and forth action as Concord Christian Academy pressed to score a second goal, but the Sunapee defense, in front of Miah Hamm, continued their excellent play and helped carry the Lakers to the finish line.

“It wasn’t always pretty tonight, the field had a lot to do with that, it’s been rough with all the rain right behind a drought, but I am proud of the girls; they have grown a lot this year, we had the personnel to make adjustments and we were able to neutralize some of their strengths,” said Sunapee head coach Myles Cooney. “But beyond that, we hustled all day long. That’s our goal to be the hardest working team on the field each night. Credit Concord [Christian Academy], they did a lot correct, but credit our girls, they answered the bell.”

Sunapee will be back in action Thursday at Portsmouth Christian Academy at 3 p.m.

Sunapee boys defeat Concord Christian Academy 6-1

The Sunapee Lakers hosted a talented Concord Christian Academy team.

The field was wet and slippery but Concord Christian Academy showed up to play. They created the first real good opportunity of the game when one of their players hit a hard shot that bounced off the crossbar. The rebound created trouble but the Sunapee defense cleared it out.

Sunapee then put the pressure on the Concord Christian Academy defense and 19 minutes into the game senior Jackson Cooney snuck baseline and scored on what looked like an impossible angle. The Lakers kept up the intensity to hold their 1-0 lead at halftime.

In the second half momentum shifted to Concord Christian Academy again for a bit but Sunapee freshman Sam Kress got behind the Concord Christian Academy left back and crossed the ball to the center. Concord Christian Academy’s keeper got a hand on it but couldn’t hold on and Parker Reed tapped in the ball as it dropped to the ground.

Reed would put in the final goal on a penalty kick 20 minutes into the second half.Keeper Sean Moynihan and the Sunapee defense had another strong game earning their seventh shutout of the season.

Sunapee (10-2) will travel to Pittsfield (5-6) for the Semifinal game on Wednesday. Kickoff is slated for 3:00 p.m.

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