Washburn Hat Trick Lifts Wahconah Girls
DALTON, Mass. -- The Wahconah girls soccer team has made the most out of an four-goal loss.
Six days after taking a 4-0 loss to reigning Western Massachusetts Division 1 champion West Springfield, Wahconah has 12 goals in its last two games, including Wednesday night’s 4-1 win over Berkshire County North Division rival Mount Greylock.
Senior Allison Washburn registered a hat trick and set up the other goal for Wahconah. Afterward, she said the team learned valuable lessons against the Terriers.
“Definitely, after West Side, realized that we had a hard time scoring in that game, so we wanted to come out strong and have an offensive push this game, and I think we did a really good job of that tonight,” Washburn said.
“We didn’t let [the loss] get us down. In practice, we stayed motivated and worked on offense and shooting, and it definitely paid off today. I’m glad that we kept our momentum going.”
Wahconah coach Meghan Smith said the West Springfield game showed her team that it could compete with strong teams, even if the scoreboard last Saturday did not reflect Wahconah’s ability.
“I think the article that was written after that game, the opening line saying we could ‘keep up,’ was a boost for them,” Smith said. “Knowing that they were compared to a team that has championships, a D1 school -- at that moment, they knew they had it. They believe in themselves.
“[Assistant coach Taylor Kenyon] and I tell them every day that they should, but I think that’s when they said, ‘We can do this. We can do this as a team.’ “
Following on the heels of Monday’s 8-0 win at Taconic, Wahconah jumped on the board early under the lights, capitalizing on their first corner kick in the third minute. Washburn scored out of a scrum in front of Mount Greylock keeper Delaney Babcock (17 saves) to make it 1-0.
“It definitely takes some of the pressure off to get an early goal,” Washburn said. “We’re a team that excels when we can get hyped about a goal and get a little momentum going and know we have a chance. It definitely helps -- especially in the first 10 minutes. That was really big.”
Babcock, an emergency starter due to illness for the Mounties, came up big through middle stages of the first half, denying Abby Wells, Victoria Gamberoni and Noelle Furlong on strong chances.
Mount Greylock’s best first half scoring chance went by the boards when a strong cross from deep on the right wing failed to connect with an attacker in the 18 with about 15 minutes until half-time.
After the Mounties (3-3) missed the potential tying goal, Washburn scored in the 33rd minute, putting back the rebound of a Victoria Gamberoni shot to make it 2-0.
In the final minute of the half, Gamberoni got on the board, converting a cross from Washburn to send Wahconah into the break with a three-goal margin.
The second half started just like the first, with Wahconah putting a goal home in the third minute of play. This time, Maria Gamberoni set up Washburn for her third goal of the night.
“We’ve been trying very hard to make sure we have people in the box,” Smith said. “I think they’re really focusing on that, and it’s paying off for us. When our forwards are up, our midfielders can come back, and everybody can push to get that ball in the net, instead of us having that gap in front of the net.
“They’re doing a really good job of everybody focusing on their line, and then we can play as a team.”
Mount Greylock kept plugging away and put its best pressure of the night on Howes in the 65th minute, when, just after her only save of the night, the Mounties were awarded a penalty kick on a foul inside the 18.
Karin Magnusdottir McComish converted the PK, helping the Mounties avoid suffering their first shutout of the season.
Mount Greylock will look to get back in the win column on Monday when it heads to Sheffield to face Mount Everett.
Wahconah (4-2) goes back out of the county to play at Weston on Saturday.