Third-Seeded Monson Edges Drury in Western Mass Tourney

MONSON, Mass. -- The third-seeded Monson girls soccer team Sunday scored two first-half goals and hung on for a 2-0 win over No. 14 Drury in the first round of the Western Massachusetts Division 3 tournament.

 

Cam Lobick scored in the 21st minute, and Sydnie DeVries added a goal in the final minute of the first half.

 

“Drury made some tactical adjustments during halftime and used a high press to try and disrupt Monson's service from the midfield,” Blue Devils coach Maria Bartini said. “Most of the second half was a battle in the middle third of the field with neither team getting many scoring opportunities.”

 

Mackenzie Dobbert made six saves for Drury, which was outshot by a margin of 8-2.

 

Bartini was pleased with her team’s effort on the road in the tournament after a six-year absence from post-season play.

“I am really proud of how hard my team played today,” Bartini said. “They never gave up and executed the game plan we wanted throughout the game. We started the game playing a pretty deep and compact defense and then increased our defensive pressure further up the field in the second half to try and create more scoring opportunities for ourselves. I felt like our girls played better and better as the game progressed and we were a little unlucky not to convert on one of our attacking chances in the second half.

 

“Monson was also strong and physical which presented some challenges for our young squad, but we never backed down. It was an amazing season for us with the whole team showing tremendous improvement. The future looks very bright for our program.”