NORTHAMPTON — Three second-half goals gave Northampton a 3-1 win over the Lenox Lady Canes in the Pioneer Valley Summer Soccer League, Monday at Florence Recreation Fields.
Trailing 1-0 at halftime, Northampton got a boost from the addition of four players who arrived late to the game.
“In the second half we had a lot more of our regular starting varsity players who play in the fall,” Northampton goalie and co-captain Sydney White said. “This team is a combination of young, rising freshman and some JV players as well as some of our starting varsity players. So we had, at one point, six or seven of our starters on the field who were able to connect better passing-wise.”
Northampton tied the game up early in the first half when Alex Bertuch-Wallace scored on a breakaway.
Brigitte Goeler-Slough gave Northampton the lead with a chip shot over the goalie’s head. She added to the lead minutes later with another goal from inside the penalty area.
“In the second half we definitely rallied,” White said. “At halftime we were just talking about what we could be doing better. They were sending a lot of balls over toward the middle and we tried to lock down on that.”
Northampton co-captain Emma Tanner had three shots in the game.
“Our goal this season is to be a lot more positive when we’re in a tough situation,” Tanner said. “I think it was good that we were able to not get down for the rest of the game and we were able to come back.”
Lenox scored its goal on a free kick from outside the penalty area.
“I have stitches on my right hand so I should have gone more with my left,” White said of the goal. “I thought she would be kicking it toward a player so I was off my line.”
White had five saves in the game.
Northampton is 4-2 on the season. Tanner said that record is not an accurate reflection of the team’s talent because of how many players have missed games.
“I think we’re a very technically sound team,” Tanner said. “I think that we connect passes very well with each other. We know how to play well together, we’re comfortable with each other and in our formation.”
