’Dores make Cosmos pay

Springfield squandered some early scoring chances and paid for it later as Vergennes made two goals just before the half goals stand up in a 2-1 Division II playdown win over the Cosmos Wednesday afternoon at Gurney field.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20111027/SPORTS/710279916

Published October 27, 2011 in the Rutland Herald

’Dores make Cosmos pay

By POODY WALSH
Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield squandered some early scoring chances and paid for it later as Vergennes made two goals just before the half goals stand up in a 2-1 Division II playdown win over the Cosmos Wednesday afternoon at Gurney field.

It was the second straight-year that Springfield has entered the tourney with the higher seed and couldn’t get out of the first round. The Cosmos were the fifth seed and the Commodores the 12th.

Vergennes had won just three games (3-10-1) coming into the contest, but it was the first time the Commodores had a complete team since the third game of the season.

“We’re really healthy now and I think we could sneak up on some more people,” said Peter Maneen, who co-coaches the Vergennes team along with Dwight Irish.

The game plan for Springfield, which finishes at 9-5-1, was to attack the wings and the Cosmos were very successful for the first 10-15 minutes, except for one thing - they couldn’t finish.

Senior right wing Liza Fontaine took the ball into the corner several times and crossed it out front, but there was never a Springfield player who could get a foot on it. Springfield also had to deal with an athletic goalkeeper in Caitlin Chaput, who showed great anticipation and no concern how dirty she got.

“She’s big, strong and with great reflexes,” said Maneen.

The only goal she gave up came with 11:30 to go in the game when a Fontaine corner kick was rolled into the penalty area and deflected past Chaput. Nobody seemed to know who got credit the goal, but all Springfield knew was that it had cut the lead in half and there was still plenty of time left. However, opportunity never knocked again and Vergennes got back on the bus to play another day.

Coming into the game, Maneen said he was aware that they had to keep a special eye on No. 14 (Fontaine) and No. 6 (Abi Cox), and right away Cox put two testing shots on Chaput and Fontaine had a nice cross to Katie Storarskis whose shot from in close was over the cage.

After the Commodores escaped several more chances created by Fontaine, they started taking over the game.

“We got our legs back after the long bus ride,” said Maneen.

Using a short passing game the Commodores began getting penetration and when Springfield failed to clear on one drive Vergennes made them pay when Ruby Dombek, a junior striker, picked up an errant pass and drilled it by Springfield keeper Lauren Bolduc. Moments later it was 2-0 when senior midfielder Casey Shea slipped a long shot under the crossbar and over the leap of Bolduc for what would later prove to be the deciding goal.

Vergennes had a 13-7 edge in shots on goal while Springfield had a 6-3 advantage in corners.