Coming into today’s match-up with league rival, Pierson, the girl’s soccer team was feeling less than 100%. With no less than six starters feeling the effects of some kind of injury, it would have been tempting for them to nurse their wounds and give less than their best.

Easy if their coach wasn’t Mark Maningo.

Coach Maningo had motivating words for his girls before they stepped onto Fitch Field this afternoon, telling them, “If you want to do anything in the playoffs this year, you must beat this team. Don’t take them lightly. Don’t be outhustled. Show them in the first ten minutes that the field will be tilted against them for the entire game.”

Perhaps those words did not have a chance to sink in as the Whalers had a great scoring opportunity within the first fifteen seconds. Off the kickoff a Pierson forward took the ball down the left side and sent in a cross that bounced tantalizingly across the goal line before being cleared. From there, the girls took their coach’s words to heart as they dominated play in a convincing 3-0 victory.

The Bears had several chances early, catalyzed by the deft touch of Emily Pius. They finally got on the board in the 14th minute when Esther Lee headed a ball to Emma Lavery who blasted a shot past the keeper from twenty yards out. Eighth-grader Ella Simmons put the game out of reach in the second half with two goals, both of which assisted by Sydney Dunn. Morgan Pius recorded her first shutout of the season, making five saves in the effort.

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