ORANGE — Delaney Parker scored four goals for the Mahar Regional girls soccer team in a 5-1 win over Frontier Regional on Thursday night at the Woodward Complex.
Parker attacked quickly against Frontier, scoring the game’s first goal on a breakaway in the fifth minute of the Pioneer North showdown.
“We played until the end,” Parker said. “Even when we were ahead, we still pushed it and never slowed down.”
Isabella Zani assisted on Parker’s first goal.
Mahar’s (4-0, 3-0 Pioneer North) defense focused heavily on Natalie Denkiewicz. The combination of Natalie Belloli and Kayley Murphy shadowed Denkiewicz the entire game, holding her scoreless.
Denkiewicz sees a lot of one-on-one defense.
“She’s getting used to it,” Frontier coach Phil Pittelli said. “She knows she has to play quicker off the ball.”
Belloli left the game in the second half with an ankle injury. But until that point the sophomore played Denkiewicz close and physical throughout.
“She was very responsible with her mark tonight,” Mahar coach Chad Softic said. “She anticipates well. Great job by her. She knows when to stick her nose in there and tackle.”
Pittelli said Frontier will need to anticipate better against Parker.
“She does the same thing every time,” Pittelli said. “She passes to herself on the left hand side. When we force her to the right she really doesn’t do a whole lot. We have to anticipate when the ball is coming to her to either get up on her or to drop back and then get people around her to support. So she has to take on two of us or three of us.”
Frontier’s (2-1-1, 2-1-1 Pioneer North) Jessica Wrisley tied the game on an assist from Victoria Speth in the 20th minute.
Mahar quickly grabbed the league back when Carra Fitzgerald centered from the right wing to Astha Bernard who one-touched the ball over Frontier keeper Siomara Green.
Parker netted her second goal after drawing a foul near the end-line just inside the penalty area at 4:31. Parker flipped the shot to the left corner past Green to give the Senators a 3-1 lead at halftime.
Green had six saves for the Red Hawks.
Mahar’s Maddie Lloyd made a couple big saves on consecutive point blank opportunities in the first half. The Mahar keeper finished with 10 saves.
Lloyd came out of the game briefly after taking some contact during a Frontier flurry.
Parker scored two more second half goals.
“One thing that she (Parker) does well is she makes you pay for your mistakes,” Pittelli said. “You make a bad pass, she will capitalize.”
Brynn Adams fed Parker on a pass through the defense just past midfield on the first goal that made it 4-1.
Parker scored again unassisted with around 15 minutes left in the game for the fourth goal.
Mahar 5, Frontier 1
|
Frontier |
1 |
0 |
— |
1 |
|
Mahar |
3 |
2 |
— |
5 |
Goals: (F) Wrisley. (M) Parker 4, Bernard.
Assists: (F) Speth. (M) Fitzgerald, Zani, Adams.
Saves: (F) Green 6. (M) Lloyd 10.
