Barrett, Leamon Score to Lead Mounties
WILLIAMSTOWN -- On the basketball court, Lucy Barrett is always a threat to score for Mount Greylock.
On the soccer pitch, not quite so much.
But on Tuesday afternoon, she was ready when the opportunity arose, and her first-half goal was a big reason the Mounties earned a 2-1 win over Monument Mountain.
"It was played in to the goal, and one of the girls kicked it out, and with the midfield and offense up in the 6 (-yard box), it gave me the opportunity to push up," the junior fullback explained. "It was kind of from outside the 18 from a corner. I took a touch to right and turned and crossed it in.
"Some people I heard yell it was a [pass], but I've been practicing those a lot, so I just took it."
Mount Greylock coach Tom Ostheimer was glad she did.
"I think we're two evenly matched teams," Ostheimer said. "It could have gone either way. We got a great first goal by Lucy. As I told the girls at half-time, this is a 0-0 game without Lucy's bomb from 20 yards out, probably more than that."
The Mounties (7-1) took a 2-0 lead in the 49th minute when striker Sophie Leamon fired a shot off the keeper's hands that richocheted into the net.
Mount Greylock earned an 18-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Monument (2-5) did apply pressure, especially toward the end of each half.
With about 14 minutes left in the first half, Sydnie Strawn had a try from deep on the right wing that sailed just wide of the far post. Moments later, the Spartans earned a corner kick, but Charlotte Rand (five saves) wiped out the threat by snaring the ball in the air.
Another Monument corner kick resulted in its only goal -- but not the way the Spartans drew it up.
With just less than 12 minutes left to play, Crista Cardillo took a corner on the left wing for the visitors. Her cross into the box found the head of a Mount Greylock player and caromed into the goal to make it 2-1.
The own-goal was just one of several dangerous chances the Mounties allowed on set pieces.
"We're still disorganized with our corner kick defense," Ostheimer said. "They were scray. They had us on our heels on a few of those corner kicks. It's a good thing we cleared that final one [in the 77th minute]."
Most of the time, the Mount Greylock defense was able to hold the line, and that is where Barrett really shines, working in tandem Sarah Stripp.
"Sarah and I play all three sports together, and we definitely have a connection going," Barrett said. "She's a great sweeper, and it allows me to go up a little on the offensive line. We're always communicating, so hopefully it doesn't get by us too often.
"She's such a great athlete, and I have a lot of confidence in her."
Mount Greylock will look for its seventh straight win on Thursday at home against North Division-leading Pittsfield in a game rescheduled from Sept. 12.