Pittsfield Girls' Dedication Pays Off with First Win
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- As a high school varsity coach, Pittsfield High's Juan Ramos has to worry about a lot of things.
One thing he has not had to worry about this season has been the attitude of his players.
"That is the most surprising thing," Ramos said Saturday after his Generals beat Taconic, 6-1, for Pittsfield's first win of the season. "They've been fantastic.
"Even after those five games in seven days, they did everything they needed to do. They were ready to go. They gave everything they had. I mean, by the time the fifth game came around, we couldn't move. But they tried.
"The attitude has been fantastic."
Allie Schnopp scored a pair of goals, and Taylor Vidoli had a goal and an assist as Pittsfield improved to 1-11-1.
The game-winner came early in the first half when Taylor Vidoli won a challenge about 25 yards from the Taconic goal and fed Randi Duquette, who finished from about 20 yards for the first of four first half goals for the Generals.
Senior Bella Penna scored from distance to double the lead, and Schnopp converted a penalty kick midway through the half to make it 3-0.
A Taconic defender attempting to clear the ball out of the 18 deflected it past keeper Maria Gonzalez (14 saves) for an own goal in the 39th minute.
Pittsfield scored its first four goals playing into a stiff breeze at Clapp Park. It managed just two goals in the second half with the wind at its back as Taconic's defense managed to cut down on the number of chances against Gonzalez.
Schnopp broke through for a goal with an assist from Vidoli to make it 5-0, and Vidoli capped Pittsfield's scoring with an unassisted goal.
Tiffin Martin got Taconic on the board in the 69th minute when she converted a free kick from the right wing.
Jasmine Small made one save to earn the win in goal. Small is one of two ninth-graders on a Pittsfield roster dominated by juniors.
Saturday was Senior Day at Clapp Park, where the Pittsfield program recognized the work of Alyssa Potvin, Penna and Vidoli.
Ramos praised the trio for their dedication to the sport.
"When they were juniors, they didn't have a fall season," he said. "And then we had the false fall [in April], and we didn't have enough players because people didn't come back and all that. So those girls stayed as JV.
"They were juniors playing on the JV, and then they move as seniors to the varsity. ... The juniors have handled it very well. They've given them spae for the seniors to accept their leadership, and the seniors haven't abused it. So it's been fantastic."
Pittsfield goes to Agawam on Monday. Taconic (2-11-1) goes to Drury on Tuesday.