NEWBURYPORT — For a second straight season it appears as if Newburyport will be on the outside looking in as far as the chase for the CAL Large championship goes.
In what was a clash between the class of the conference with both teams sporting undefeated records, Masconomet overcame a 1-0 Newburyport lead in the chilly conditions at Cherry Hill snatching two late goals for the win, 2-1.
Even more importantly, the win vaulted the Chieftains into the lead atop the CAL Large standings. Although the Clippers have loftier goals in mind — like defending their Division 3 state title and two-time standing as the Division 3 North sectional representative — Newburyport will now need help from someone else in the conference if the Clippers are to catch Masconomet.
What was probably most disappointing about yesterday's loss was the fact that Newburyport uncharacteristically could not close the door after grabbing the lead approximately 10 minutes into the second half. Dating back to the Eastern Mass final/state semifinals match against Norwell in 2006, a 2-1 loss in overtime, the Clippers had not lost a game in which they held the lead at some point in a game, a streak that had lasted 32 games.
For 60 minutes, Newburyport was clearly the better team controlling most of the possession in the midfield and Masconomet's defensive end of the field. Both teams had chances, but Newburyport clearly held the edge in terms of the more dangerous play and had a deserving lead after Shawn Criffo's deflected pass went to Veronica Poirier, whose quick shot found the lower left netting despite the Chieftains' goalie getting a hand on the ball.
Earlier in the first half, Poirier nearly had a breakaway, but the Masconomet defense was able to toe poke the ball away for a corner just at the most crucial moment. On the ensuing corner Taylor Bresnahan had a free header, but the ball went straight into the ground, took one big hop and was put out of harm's way again by the Masconomet defense.
The turning point in the match for the visiting side happened when Jamie White, who had blanketed the Clippers Jillian Kinter for much of the game not allowing her a single shot on goal, switched from marking back to forward about half way through the second half as the Chieftains were desperate to score. After suffering calf cramps in both legs forcing her to the bench for some five minutes, White's inspirational play got her team attacking with numbers down field and the Clippers instantly looked like a shell of the team that had carried the game, instead desperately trying to hold on to what increasingly became a shaky lead.
With around 10 minutes to play Lucy Gildein played a ball through to Kaitlin Sampson and the slick forward made no mistake firing the ball into the far side left netting as Clipper goalie Lindsey Tomasz was unsure whether to come out completely off her line or stay back in goal.
Twice Newburyport had great opportunities to go back in front, first when Bresnahan's lofted shot from 30 yards just missed the left post in which the Masconomet goalie did not appear to see the ball because of the sun and second when a Laura Muise free kick from the left side just outside the box whistled through the six yard box without being touched by a Clipper player.
Just before time, Masconomet made the most of a questionable handball call as Cara Connors quick restart caught the Clipper defense napping and found a wide open Gildein. Caught in no man's land, Tomasz tried to intercept the pass, but Gilden tucked the ball away for the game-winner before the keeper could make a play for the ball.
"We kept Jamie (White) on Kinter because our game plan was to shut her down," said Masconomet coach Paula Yanakakis. "She normally plays forward and when we put her up to forward because we needed to score, they had to play more defensive."
Newburyport coach Robb Gonnam said his Clippers played without discipline and got too complacent.
"We weren't fronting players in the midfield, and we paid the price for playing just in time soccer," Gonnam stated. "We weren't winning balls in the midfield, which is key for us, and we didn't respond well to pressure.
"We had our opportunities, but we didn't execute and they did," Gonnam continued. "We should never lose with a 1-0 with 10 minutes to go."
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