They may be in a new division, but it was business as usual for the Falcons.
After spending the last six years in Division III, and winning four titles in six championship game appearances during that time, the Bow girls’ soccer team opened up its brand new D-II schedule on Friday with a 5-0 win against Lebanon.
“We played very well,” Bow Coach Jay Vogt said. “It was a good first game, a good win for us.”
But Bow did have to overcome some opening night jitters.
“The first 10 or 15 minutes we were very anxious and played rushed,” Vogt said. “Once we settled down, things started to fall in place for us.”
That settling began in the 25th minute when Abbey Horner scored off a corner kick from Gwen Molind. It continued a minute later when Horner crossed a ball into the box that the Lebanon keeper bobbled. Savannah Twombly was quick to react and poked the loose ball into the net to make it 2-0.
Lauren Goyette made it 3-0 in the 36th minute when she redirected a corner kick from Crista Alfano into the goal. And just about 30 seconds later Danielle DesRuisseaux scored the fourth goal when she finished a through ball from Miah Munro.
The Falcons found their final goal just a minute into the second half when Lauren Goyette and Munro worked a give-and-go and then found Gianna Celenza, who scored on a shot from the wing.
Vogt was pleased with the efforts from central midfielder Isabella Urbina as well as central defenders Maggie Vogt and Emma Gagne. Bow keeper Bridget Ehrenberg didn’t need to make a save in the first half and her backup, Emma Wilke, needed to make just two stops in the second half to keep the clean sheet.
Coe-Brown 9, Kingswood 0
Key players: Coe-Brown – Summer Barnes (3 goals, assist), Chelsea McCallion (2 goals, assist), Sophie Laird (2 goals) Emily Olofson (goal, assist)
Highlights/key moments: Barnes’s hat trick was highlighted by a backside volley on a cross from Mikayla Prina to make the score 6-0. Freshman Laird scored twice in her first varsity game.
Coach’s quote: “This was a great game for such a young team. With seven assists and nine goals scored, we were committed to playing team soccer. Nine different players with a point on the night is a great accomplishment.” – Coe-Brown’s Josh Hils
Records: Coe-Brown 1-0; Kingswood 0-1
Kearsarge 3, MV 2
Key players:Kearsarge – Mia Bailey (goal), Jordan Busch (2 goals, assist), Maicy Hansen (assist), Tess Witmer (8 saves); MV – Abby Grandmaison (2 goals) Asia Hazeltine (assist), Hanah Corliss (assist)
Highlights/key moments: MV scored first, but the Cougars tied the game midway through the first half and a flurry of passes and shots late in the half led to two more goals for a 3-1 halftime lead. The Pride had some opportunities late in the game, but Witmer made some key saves to preserve the win.
Coaches’ quote: “MV came out pretty hard in the last few minutes. We had to hold them.” – Kearsarge’s Travis Dezotell
“It was a tough way to start, but the girls fought hard to come back and had Kearsarge on their heels for the last 10 minutes or so.” – MV’s Jeff Richard
Records: Kearsarge 1-0; MV 0-1
Pembroke 5, Plymouth 2
Key players: Pembroke – Emilee Harlow (3 goals), Kelsey Holland (assist), Ryley Marston (defense), Danielle Parent (first varsity goal)
Highlights/key moments: The Spartans started the scoring five minutes into the match and never let off the gas. Goalie Vicky Mudgett got an assist in a complete team effort.
Coach’s quote: “This is a great kickoff to our season but we are mindful that each game in turn needs to be better and better.” – Pembroke’s Jess Croft
Records: Pembroke 1-0; Plymouth 0-1
Hopkinton 2, Belmont 1, OT
Key players: Hopkinton – Amelia Bassett (10 saves), Ellie Owen (solid defense), Lilias Whitehead (game-winning goal), Ellie Morrall (goal), Brianna Curley (assist)
Highlights/key moments: After allowing Belmont to tie the game 1-1 in the 79th minute, the Hopkinton girls’ soccer team rallied in overtime to pick up its first win of the season in exciting fashion.
Coach’s quote: “It was a good game to start the season with. It was a hot day but the team didn’t let that bother them. Belmont came out strong, as did we.” – Hopkinton’s Laura Izzi
Records: Hopkinton (1-0); Belmont (0-1)
Concord 3, Winnacunnet 1
Key players: Concord – Taylor Silverstein (goal), Ngongo Mungeta (goal), Josh Adams (goal), Ethan Dupre (assist), Liam Bennett (assist), Liam Devanny (3 saves)
Highlights/key moments: The Tide got off to a 1-0 lead in the 41st minute when Silverstein took a pass from Dupree just inside the 18 and buried it in the back of the net. Mungeta’s goal in the 64th minute gave the Tide the lead for good. Concord outshot the Warriors, 21-8, and took 14 corners to Winnacunnet’s one. Bennett and Noah Walker chipped in solid defense, while Adam Bryant contributed in the midfield.
Coach’s quote: “It was a very dominant performance. I’m very happy with our chances and very pleased with our first game of the season.” Concord’s Scott Dunlop
Records:Concord 1-0; Winnacunnet 0-1
ConVal 1, John Stark 0
Key players: John Stark – Ryan Nelson (good all around game), Jake Reynolds (defense)
Highlights/key moments: ConVal scored 8:30 into the game and held on despite a strong second half by the Generals. John Stark had several opportunities to tie the game, including two shots that hit the post.
Coach’s quote: “We struggled in the first half with our execution which was frustrating considering how we have been playing in preseason. The positive of the game is we turned it around and played much better in the second half.” – John Stark’s Jeff Vogt
Records: ConVal 1-0; John Stark 0-1
Lebanon 3, Bow 0
Key players: Bow – Noah Bult and Joseph Rychwalski (goalkeepers)
Highlights/key moments: The Falcons had great efforts from their keepers, but Lebanon took a 1-0 lead seven minutes into the game, made it 2-0 lead just before halftime and rounded out their scoring with a goal midway through the second half.
Coach’s quote: “(Consenus is) Lebanon is a title contender this year in D-II. Bow learned in their first game back in D-II what it will take to compete against a top four team.” – Bow’s George Pinkham
Records: Lebanon 1-0; Bow 0-1
MV 3, Kearsarge 2, 2OT
Key players:MV – James Shattuck (2 goals, assist), Caleb Willett (goal), Dillon Arrant (assist); Kearsarge – Levi Wilson (11 saves), Bo Underhill (2 assists, great defense), Gunnar Nurme (goal, Brad Underhill (goal)
Highlights/key moments: The Pride had several chances at the end of regulation to put the game away, but Wilson made some great saves to force overtime. With less than a minute remaining in the second overtime, Shattuck sent a corner kick to the edge of the 18-yard box and Willett buried the game-winner.
Coach’s quote: “This was a fantastic match in which both teams worked extremely hard in the heat. I am very proud of the work rate and effort that the boys demonstrated throughout the game.” – Kearsarge’s Matt Burch
Records: MV 1-0; Kearsarge 0-1
Pembroke 3, Plymouth 1
Key players: Pembroke – Patrick Chase (goal), Ben Mehegan (goal), Hunter Boyce (assist), Josh Dion (assist
Highlights/key moments: The Spartans took a 2-0 lead thanks to a Plymouth own goal in the 12th minute and a goal from Chase in the 29th. The Bobcats cut their deficit in half with a goal in the 36th minute, but Mehegan’s goal a minute later gave Pembroke some insurance.
Coach’s quote: “It was a good start to the season.” – Pembroke’s Peter Bisson
Records: Pembroke 1-0; Plymouth 0-1
Coe-Brown 3, Kingswood 1
Key players: Coe-Brown – Corbin LeBlanc (goal, assist), Noah Wojtkowski (goal, assist), Ryan Whitcher (goal)
Highlights/key moments: The Bears opened their season in the wind and on the turf and came away with a road win. LeBlanc opened the scoring in the 22nd minute off an assist from Wojtkowski, who scored on a pretty long range shot in the first minute of the second half. Witcher cleaned up a rebound from a LeBlanc shot in the 49th minute to make it 3-0. Coe-Brown’s back line of Ethan Barbeau, Nick Sanderson, Ben Heyliger and Colin Cane all played well.
Coach’s quote: “We were looking to really try to set the tone for the season by playing how we’re capable of playing … and we did that in the second half with the wind at our back.” – Coe-Brown’s Christian Gompert
Records: Coe-Brown 1-0; Kingswood 0-1
Belmont 8, Mascenic 1
Key players: Belmont – Logan Wilder (2 goals, 2 assists), Griffin Embree (2 goals), River Mathieu (goal), Tyler Fleming (goal), Jonny Leclair (3 saves)
Highlights/key moments: The Raiders scored the first goal two minutes into the match and settled in for a 3-0 halftime lead. The Vikings scored the first goal of the second half, but the Raiders went on a tear, scoring five unanswered goals to end the match. Fleming scored a beautiful goal off a direct kick from 30 yards out while Mathieu, a captain, and Embree scored their first career goals.
Coach’s quote: “From a team standpoint we moved the ball well and did the things we preached in preseason.” – Belmont’s Mike Foley
Records: Belmont 1-0; Mascenic 0-1
H-D 3, Conant 0
Key players: H-D – Brandon Plante (goal), Ben Ketterer (goal), Elijah Winters (goal, assist), Kieren Kenny (assist), Quinn Erickson (assist), Thomas Ferguson (keeper)
Highlights/key moments: The Hillcats had a rough start, losing captain Billy Dubuque in the first two minutes of the match, but regrouped to take a 1-0 halftime lead off a goal from Plante. Ferguson made some huge saves to start the second half and Winters and Ketterer scored insurance goals.
Coach’s quote: “These lads are a good group. They continue to work hard every day to try to live up to the expectations that this program is expecting of itself.” – H-D’s Joe Donnelly
Records: H-D 1-0; Conant 0-1
golf
Concord third
Key players: Concord – Thomas Burns (42), Hayley Reed (42), Matt Burns (44), Zach Gamble (45), Logan Galloway (47)
Highlights/key moments: The Crimson Tide shot a 220 at the Concord Country Club to finish behind Keene (203) and Dover (216). Dover’s Eric Ebans earned medallist honors with a 35. Keene was led by Nick Nadeau (38) and Jack Nadeau (39). Gamble played well for the Tide in his varsity match.
Coach’s quote: “Keene is definitely a tournament contender. We’re hoping to find some magic and become that ourselves.” – Concord’s Ed Deshaies
Records: Concord 1-3; Dover 1-3; Keene 4-0