HANOVER — Sometimes, all it takes is one.
Sage McGinley-Smith’s goal in the 22nd minute proved to be the difference-maker Wednesday night as the Hanover High girls soccer team held off archrival Lebanon, 1-0, under the lights at Merriman-Branch Field. Fans could be seen sitting on the grassy hill and above on the ridge in front of cars to get a glimpse of the action.
The matchup was the third between the two teams this season. The Marauders won the first meeting on Sept 19, but the rivals played to a 1-1 tie on Oct. 15. The victory captures the season series for Hanover.
McGinley-Smith’s score was a beauty, a quick shot from more than 20 yards out that floated above Lebanon goalie Sally Rainey’s head. Rainey jumped for the ball but it was perfectly placed, just out of her reach.
“We would’ve liked to score more, for sure,” said Hanover coach Doug Kennedy, whose team improves to 7-0-1. “That was awesome (the goal). Sally’s a tough keeper to beat.”
The shot was taken with awareness for Rainey, who will be attending the University of New Hampshire next year to play on the Wildcats’ women’s soccer team. The senior calmly directed the Raiders to disrupt all four of Hanover’s corner kicks.
“She’s clearly a talent you don’t see, one that I haven’t seen in my career,” Kennedy said of Rainey. “Also, a great leader. It’s going to be a shock for Lebanon to lose her next year. She’s a presence; my girls talk about her before the games.”
The Marauders’ defense was stifling, not allowing Lebanon (4-2-1) to take a shot until the second half, and even then it only mustered two.
The Raiders’ best chance to score came with 12 minutes remaining on their only corner of the night. Mary Rainey tried put her entry pass on net, but goalie Rebekah Rudd jumped up and knocked the ball down, which was then cleared.
Hanover had plenty of opportunities to build off of its first-half score. Its forwards pelted the Raiders’ goal frame with 10 shots on net in the second half, but most were aimed right at the Lebanon netminder.
“The defense did play well,” Lebanon fifth-year coach Breck Taber said. “We kind of made an adjustment at the half and stopped chasing it (the ball). They like to bring their outside backs up, and it leaves our outside mid in a position: ‘Do I stick with my mark; do I step on the outside back pressing?’ And the communication fixes that. Yeah, we did a better job in the second half.”
Wednesday’s game was also another chance to prepare for the NHIAA playoffs. Pairings were announced earlier this week and with regional brackets and seeding at random, neither team really knows what to fully expect.
The Marauders are playing their first postseason in NHIAA Division I after winning the last two D-II titles and will host Concord on Tuesday in an opening-round game.
The Raiders are traveling to Stevens on Oct. 29 for the D-II prelims after missing the playoffs a year ago.
“This is a good pre-tournament game, because if you want to go anywhere, you have to play at this level,” said Taber.
Added Kennedy: “Interestingly in high school soccer, if you have a good team, they’re often able to step up to the level and play.”
NOTES: McGinley-Smith’s tally is her first of the season. She has recorded four assists, though. … Rudd and Emma Kleber recorded the shutout for Hanover. It’s the fifth of the season for a team that has only allowed three goals. … Hanover is scheduled to play Keene on Friday to close out the regular season, but Kennedy isn’t sure if the game will be played. The Blackbirds don’t play schools where there has been a positive COVID-19 test. The two teams were supposed to play Monday but the game was canceled for that reason. … Lebanon finishes the regular season Friday when it travels to Fall Mountain.
Pete Nakos can be reached at pnakos@vnews.com.