Thetford
Rivendell, rebuilding after a strong 2017 campaign, never stood a chance.
Panthers junior midfielder Lily MacVeagh scored a hat trick and former Chelsea High athlete Kiana Johnson netted two goals in Thetford’s season-opening 7-1 victory over the Raptors on Tuesday afternoon. Casey MacVeagh and Autumn Horniak also found the back of the net for Thetford, which launched 24 shots at Rivendell sophomore goalkeeper Cora Day and finished the game with an 11-0 advantage on corners.
“We talk about it: It’s an opportunity. Every other team is going to be ready for these girls,” Williams said, his team having gone 15-2 overall in its championship-winning season a year ago. “I just think that’s a wonderful feeling. … They’re only going to make you a better soccer team.
“Two years ago, maybe you snuck up on people,” he added. “Now, people are going to be ready for you. But look, that’s only going to bring your game up. That’s how we talk about it.”
Rivendell’s lone shot on goal found the back of the net, a free kick from Hartford High transfer Kendyl Boisvert just 43 seconds into the second half. Day made 18 saves for the Raptors.
It’s a new world for the Raptors and eighth-year head coach Tim Goodwin, who are searching for a new identity after Mikayla DeBois and Riley Thomson — and their combined 30 goals and 30 assists — graduated at the end of last season. Rivendell was 13-2-1 when all was said and done last year, falling to Vergennes in the D-III quarterfinals.
Growing pains, plus some early-season jitters, Goodwin said, contributed to the lopsided result.
“It’s kind of a new group,” Goodwin said. “I know we didn’t graduate very many, but we graduated some key cogs. This group needs to find their identity. Coming into the season, even talking to them, I don’t know what that’s going to be. They’ve got to figure that out.
“I think we learned a lot about ourselves,” he added. “It’s just going to take a while.”
Thetford played almost all of the first half deep in Rivendell territory, sending 14 shots on target before breaking through in the 30th minute on a corner delivered by Grace Davis from the right side that sailed over Day’s head and found Casey MacVeagh’s body for the game’s opening score.
Johnson added to it 1 minute, 25 seconds later, finishing off a pass from Arwen Clayton. Lily MacVeagh scored her first of the afternoon just before half, a long-range shot just inside the near left post that got through Day and crossed the goal line. Thetford led, 3-0, at halftime.
“Last year felt great,” said Lily MacVeagh, who combined with her sister, Casey, for 29 of Thetford’s 49 goals last season. “We definitely want to repeat it. We have a strong team. We’re hoping we can. We just don’t want to get overconfident in the beginning of the season.”
Rivendell found its legs in the second half, finding the back of the net within the first minute. Goodwin said he liked the way his team responded.
“That was the challenge at halftime,” Goodwin said. “We opened things up, we tried to attack and attack with more people. The second half was much more aggressive. It was great to see.”
But Rivendell’s second wind was short-lived. Lily MacVeagh answered for Thetford six minutes later with a lob that sailed over the head of Day and into the net. MacVeagh completed the hat trick in the 50th minute. Horniak and Johnson added insurance goals later in the half as Thetford continued to pile on the pressure.
“I think the core group of girls, they know each other really well,” Williams said. “And it’s always nice to get new girls in the mix. … The core who know how to pass together, having the young girls seeing that, it’s a tremendous advantage.”
Williams is excited about what his group can do this season, even with his team quickly developing as the team to beat in D-III. That’s what happens, he said, when your offensive stars return.
For Lily MacVeagh, the added defensive pressure this season may open things up for the Panthers.
“I think we’re going to get more coverage,” she said. “But that just means we can open up the field for other girls to go and take the glory.”
That pressure, Williams said, is a privilege.
“I have so much fun coaching (the MacVeagh sisters),” Williams said. “They’re like teachers on the field for the other kids. If they stay healthy, they should have another phenomenal year.”
Thetford (1-0) travels to Leland & Gray on Saturday. Rivendell (0-1) visits Danville on Thursday.
Josh Weinreb can be reached at jweinreb@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.