NTL GIRLS' SOCCER: TROY PULLS OUT WIN AT NEB TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THE LEAGUE STANDINGS (2022-09-28)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — In a match-up of the co-leaders of the NTL girls’ soccer standings Troy and NEB didn’t disappoint. Both teams had their chances to score, both teams made great defensive plays, but it was the Trojans who came away with the 2-0 win.

With the victory Troy moves ahead of NEB in the standings with just one league loss, while the Panthers now have two.

“It’s amazing,” Troy’s Caelyn Pine said about the win. “We knew we had to come out tonight, and we worked hard. We worked as a team on the field, and we just came alive.”

Pine was the key force behind shutting down NEB’s attack from the defensive midfield position, while it was freshman Alexis McRoberts who broke the 0-0 stalemate late in the first half to put the Trojans up at the break.

“We knew they were going to come out of the gates very fast because the last time we played we beat them 7-0,” said McRoberts. “And it was their home field. So, they were pretty upset about that, so I think we were nervous because they were ready.”

Addy Parker added a goal late in the second half to secure the win, but it was the Trojan defense that starred on the night. While the Panthers did have their moments to score, as the game went on, Troy got better and better at shutting down their offense, particularly in the second half.

“I think against a top quality team, and talented team like Northeast Bradford, I’m really, really happy for the girls,” said Troy coach Wayne Pratt. “They’ve worked hard, they’ve come from not playing defense together to be one of the best defensive units out there this year.”

In the first meeting the defense struggled to contain Shumway, and keeper MadelynSeeley was even pulled early in the match. On Tuesday the defense was a little tighter with Shumway on her runs, and Seeley ended up with the shutout.

“Our defense is amazing,” added Pine. “They work as a unit, they’re always talking. They are like the heart of our team.”

NEB coach Josh Thoman felt his team was right there, but, unlike their first meeting at East Troy, where they won 4-2, the Panthers couldn’t put the ball in the net on Tuesday.

“They got the best of us,” said Thoman. “We had a couple breakaways, we just couldn’t finish.”

His defense played well, too, particularly his freshman goalie Leah Beebe. They kept Troy’s forwards largely in check most of the game, but when they made a pair of mistakes in the box the Trojans pounced.

“Leah does very, very, very well back there for being only 5-foot-2,” said Thoman. “Coming out and stopping a lot of those (shots) is a big deal, and we’ve just got a couple bad touches they really capitalized on, but, I mean for the most part, it was a 0-0 game, and we definitely had our opportunities.”

The score may not show it, but both teams had opportunities galore throughout the first half, beginning just over a minute into the game when a Troy cross to Parker was gobbled up by Beebe. Beebe then made a diving save on a Parker shot at the 35th minute to keep it 0-0.

NEB had two chances right after that as Lizzie Gorsline had two shots saved by Troy’s keeper Seeley. Seeley then made another big save on a long shot from Kayleigh Thoman at the 26:15 mark.

The Panthers kept the pressure on, and a Melanie Shumway centering pass inside the six resulted in a scrum as Seeley and NEB’s Keirra Thoman collided. Troy was able to clear the ball before NEB could put a foot on it. 

With 18:45 to play Shumway had a run on the right side behind the defense, but her attempt was just wide.

Troy’s Saydi Renzo nearly put her team up 1-0 when she got behind the Panther defense, but her shot was right at Beebe, who made the save.

Then, with just under 12 minutes to play in the half, NEB had their best chance to score, yet, as Shumway got behind the defense, again. She had the whole frame to work with as she came down the middle, but her shot went wide of the right post.

The Trojans would take advantage, as a Camille McRoberts pass was deflected by the NEB defense, but just to Alexis McRoberts, who found a seam to the goal. She sent her shot over the hands of Beebe for the 1-0 lead.

“That felt really good,” McRoberts said about seeing the ball in the goal. “I think it just gave everyone time to relax. We all just relaxed after that, and started playing better and better because we had that little bit of comfort.”

The Trojans kept the pressure on for the rest of the half, and twice had a chance to add another goal. With 6:25 on the clock Parker beat the goalie, but her touch was a little strong, and Lani Thomas recovered enough to clear it away.

Then, with 4:30 to go, MaKenna Matthews had a hard shot that was deflected off the cross-bar by Beebe. The rebound went to Parker, but she couldn’t settle it, and her attempt was deflected away by Beebe for back to back saves.

There wasn’t as much action in the second half, with the first real scoring chance not coming until over 10 minutes in when a Parker shot was scooped up by Beebe. 

On the NEB counter Shumway’s run was snuffed out by Pine, a common theme through the final 40 minutes.

Kayleigh Thoman started the game up front, then switched with Shumway halfway through the first half, with Pine marking both of them.

“Kayleigh and Mel are amazing players,” said Pine. “They give me a challenge. I love going against them, they’re a great battle.”

“It’s not by accident that Caelyn Pine is back on defense,” Pratt said. “That girl is the real deal.”

At the 26:40 mark Gorsline got a good foot on the ball, but Seeley was able to get the save.

With 22:50 on the clock Beebe stopped a low, hard shot from Parker, while at the other end NEB’s Sadie Cubbedge had an attempt scooped up by Seeley. 

After that Troy began putting it to NEB in their own end, with Camille McRoberts nearly heading in a corner kick.

The Panther’s last good opportunity to tie the game up came with 6:15 left to play. There was a loose ball in the box, the goalie was out, and Alena Beebe got a foot on it. Like a lot of their attempts, though, this one went just wide of the net.

Then, with 2:22 left Renzo sent one into the box, and NEB’s defense failed to clear it. It went right to Parker, who put the point blank shot into the back of the net to secure the win.

Pratt was glad to see his team finish strong.

“I think it comes down to the early season endurance that we do, and conditioning,” he said. “That’s our whole game plan is to keep running. So, in the second half, we get more opportunities at the goal than the opponent.”

The Trojans had a 17-11 edge in shots, and 6-5 advantage in corner kicks. Beebe finished with 15 saves on the night, as Seeley had 11 to get the clean sheet.

Going forward, NEB will need some help if they’re going to get back into a tie with Troy for the league standings lead. 

The Trojans still have Williamson twice, along with Wyalusing and Athens, but, so far this season, only the Panthers have shown to be able to hang with the defending league champions.

“I think we’re going to focus on working as a team, being there for each other, and staying positive,” McRoberts said.

NEB will host Wyalusing on Thursday, as they look to avenge their only other NTL loss on the season.

“It would be kind of nice to stay in front of Wyalusing on the district side,” said Thoman. “If we can just shut one or two girls down like we did tonight, and hopefully we’ll be able to get a win on Thursday.”

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PHOTO CAPTION: Troy’s Addy Parker and NEB’s Kayleigh Thoman battle for a header…PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING