Laconia, n.h.
The top-seeded and undefeated Lakers (17-0-1) rebounded from a shaky first half to top No. 4 Profile, 4-1, in Thursday night’s D-IV semifinal game at Laconia High.
Sunapee will go for its third championship in six years on Sunday against No. 6 Colebrook, which did the Lakers all kinds of favors by knocking out Sunapee’s biggest challenger, No. 2 Newmarket, in Thursday’s early semifinal, 2-1, with a late goal in stoppage time.
The Lakers defeated Colebrook, 7-1, in their season opener back in August and have had little trouble taking care of business since then. Once again, it seems Sunapee’s stars have aligned.
“We have a lot of seniors, and we all love soccer,” Sunapee junior midfielder Maddie Austin, who finished with a hat trick, said. “This is our moment.”
Part of Sunapee’s magic is its ability to adapt on the fly.
Austin scored her first goal in the game’s 27th minute to give Sunapee the early lead, finishing off a string of chances in Profile’s defensive end. But Profile answered three minutes later off a free kick that curved through Sunapee’s defensive wall and tricked Lakers sophomore keeper Suzanne Rickard, who left a rebound for a wide-open Ayla Crosby.
Profile’s goal seemed to shake Sunapee’s confidence; Crosby’s score was only Sunapee’s sixth allowed this season. Suddenly, the Lakers’ possessions were messy, their penetration through the midfield desperate. Though the Lakers held on to a tie score at halftime, it was by no means safe.
“Honestly, they took away from a lot of things we usually do well,” Sunapee head coach Myles Cooney said. “I have to give credit to Profile. Their pressure gave us a lot of problems all night long. We weren’t able to find the rhythm that we’re used to finding and the space and time that we’re used to finding.
“Our halftime huddle, there was no panic,” he added. “We weren’t pleased. … I really felt like we could get some things done. It was just a matter of holding your head up and making some better decisions. That’s what it was.”
Cooney walked away from the halftime huddle early, giving his players a chance to discuss among themselves. Austin, Sunapee’s leading goal-scorer, said the message was positive.
“They were going hard to the ball. We weren’t really matching up to that,” Austin said.
“In the second half, I think we stepped it up. … We knew we could work harder. The fact that we let in a goal … it was upsetting. I think from then, we knew we had to pick it up.”
Sunapee scored three goals in an 18-minute span of the second half to keep its undefeated season alive. Mary Grzanna opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. Austin then scored twice to give the Lakers all the insurance they needed.
“I think it’s our senior leadership. … It would have been really easy at halftime to start second-guessing yourself,” Cooney said. “These guys pushed through. A lot of these guys have had success in some of the other programs we have (girls basketball, softball); you can just sense it. They knew this was our year.”
Rickard made three saves but went largely unchallenged in the second half as Sunapee’s defensive unit, led by senior Faith Larpenter, kept Profile’s desperate attacks at bay.
Winning never goes out of style for the Lakers. But without Derryfield representing the ultimate challenge for Sunapee to overcome, this year’s championship run comes with a much different feeling of accomplishment.
“I miss the fight against Derryfield,” Austin said. “But at the same time, it’s a good feeling knowing that we’re going there (without having to face them).”
Game time for Sunday’s final is noon at Laconia High.