BELCHERTOWN — The West Springfield backpacks were laid out in numerical order behind the bench, and during the national anthem the team held hands and swung in unison. They were just as organized once the game began, and the well-drilled Terriers cruised to a 5-0 victory over Belchertown.
West Springfield (4-0-1) had not given up a goal in four games coming into this one, and the defending Western Massachusetts Division 1 champions kept its clean sheet streak intact. The Terriers have speed and skill all over the field, and five different players got on the score sheet.
“It’s a loss but we’ll take it, learn what we need to from it, and move on,” first-year Belchertown coach Kyle Thibeault said.
Madison Conway had the first chance of the game in the 29th minute. She was the recipient of a perfectly weighted through ball from Daesia Andrews that met her in stride. Conway took a touch and let fly, but she was denied by Samantha Birks, who made 14 saves for the Orioles (1-1-1).
Birks is Belchertown’s senior captain, and the keeper dove to her right to stop Conway’s blast. The rebound came back out and the ball rattled around the box, but Birks was there again to dive on the ball and relieve the pressure on her defense.
Three minutes later it was Andrews once more, but this time she did not need to pass. Andrews picked her head up well outside the box, saw an opportunity, and lofted a shot just over Birks’ outstretched fingers and off the underside of the crossbar to put West Springfield up 1-0.
Belchertown struggled to break down the Terriers defense, and when the ball was turned over West Springfield pushed the ball up the field at speed. Emilia Longey was usually the one leading the charge from right back, connecting with Conway on the wing and Andrews up front.
The Orioles did well to hold them back for long stretches of the match, with captain Libby White sweeping up numerous Terrier attacks. But West Springfield kept the pressure on, and went into halftime with a 2-0 lead after Wylee Candon picked up a pass from Chelsea Hoey and curled a shot into the far post.
Lauren Bolduc had a chance for Belchertown in the 46th minute. An errant header from a West Springfield defender fell to Bolduc at the top of the box but her volley sailed over the bar.
West Springfield added to its tally five minutes later on a tight angle shot by Emily Abel. Abel was beside the corner flag when she received a pass from Lauren Armstrong and sent the ball into a long arc that ended in the net at the far post.
Two minutes later, the Terriers were celebrating again after Katie Believeau’s low, driven effort from outside the box snuck through a crowd of players and found the bottom-right corner.
West Springfield scored its fifth goal in the last minute when Mackenzie Paulo’s corner kick was deflected into the net.
Thibeault knew that the Orioles would face a tough test against the Western Massachusetts champions. He is transitioning his team to a more possession-based style of play, and the early learning curve is being made all the steeper by a challenging four-game stretch against league opponents that includes Minnechaug on Friday.