BELCHERTOWN – Aida Name turned to Briana Haley as the Belchertown girls soccer team prepared for a throw in.
“We’re dangerous,” she said.
The Orioles were controlling possession and creating chances against West Springfield at home Monday but couldn’t find the back of the net. Name sensed the Terriers’ vulnerability.
“I’ve been wanting to score. I scored last game, and as soon as you put me up there, I want to score,” Name said. “I was trying to play as dangerous as possible, make the defenders worry about me.”
She plagued West Springfield in the second half, notching a goal and an assist in a little over a minute of a 3-1 victory. The Orioles (3-1-4, 2-0-3 Coombs) are unbeaten in their last seven games.
“Our ball movement throughout the entire 80 minutes was probably the best it’s been all year,” Belchertown coach Kyle Thibault said. “We’re starting to hit our stride, and everything’s starting to come together.”
Madysen Lepage put the first piece in Monday’s scoring column with a penetrating run down the left sideline. She crossed the ball in to Name in the 59th minute, and Name controlled it and slid the ball through for the game’s first goal.
“That was just work rate from the other strikers and midfielders, and once we got it in, Maddy found me and I was in the right place at the right time,” Name said.
She paid it forward barely a minute later. Belchertown gained control again shortly after the kickoff and Name found Alexa Karabestos on a diagonal run, and she converted the shot to make it 2-0.
“Part of our goal scoring is not so much we can’t, it’s just confidence on the ball and being able to create opportunities and finish the opportunities we’re given,” Thibault said. “We get the first one, and we settled in, and the second one we made the right plays and finished the balls we were given.”
Belchertown didn’t give West Springfield many looks at goal. The center back pairing of Ashlee Cunningham and Logan Moses snuffed out counter attacks before they fully materialized and provided outlet passes to reinitiate the offense when the Terriers collapsed.
“They’re solid, they trust each other, they’re smart with the ball,” Thibault said. “We can interchange those positions defensively, and it’s a solid group, and that confidence that we have defensively helps to generate our offense.”
Belchertown keepers Jillian Debarge and Michaela Dubey combined for six saves.
The Terriers pulled one back on a Payton Colbert cross to Sydney Reed in the 70th minute to make it a one-goal game. Belchertown didn’t alter its game plan. The Orioles continued their pressure, and Macie Bolton made it 3-1 in the game’s final two minutes after a strong turn in the box. Madison Dacosta picked up an assist.
“We were able to have people refocus,” Thibault said.
Belchertown has scored five goals in its past two games after putting in just two over its previous three. At one point the Orioles kept six clean sheets in a row but drew three of those games.
“Once we start seeing and getting a little more confidence offensively with our shooting, it’ll come easier as things go because once we go, that’s the last piece of the puzzle,” Thibault said.
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.