Font ResizeBRATTLEBORO -- Some pitchers can throw a nice curveball. Brattleboro’s Halie Lange can kick one.
The midfield striker’s goal was all that was needed to give the Colonels varsity girls soccer team a 1-0 victory against Burr and Burton, Wednesday night on Tenney Field.
"I saw a small opening in the defense and went for it," said Lange. "Part luck and part skill."
Lange took a corner kick and nailed her shot at the 34:35 mark. Her blast somehow hooked right through a wall of green jerseys to find the back of the Bulldog’s net.
"The idea was to spread their defense," said Lange. "When we can get the ball out to the side, I can break through the center for a chance."
Biak Chin-Tial, striker for the Colonels, was assigned to a more defensive game Wednesday, clearing numerous Bulldog drives that threatened the purple and white.
"Coach put me in the middle tonight," said Chin-Tial. "I tried my best and it worked."
Lange also hustled on defense and had a few key slide tackles in the second half that spread the Burr and Burton defense as the Bulldogs grew desperate on the charge.
Burr and Burton maintained possession for most of the second half, but Brattleboro disrupted a series of attempts as the Bulldogs charged deep into Colonel territory.
"Burr and Burton is always the best game that we play," said Colonel assistant coach Hannah Svec. "Always an intense game. It’s soccer that is
Hannah’s younger sister and Brattleboro keeper Tori Svec played it smart from the box, staying back when neccessary and coming out when needed as Burr and Burton tried to break down the Colonels’ defense. Svec had eight saves, including a diving tend with 5:30 left in the first half.
Edwin de Brujin, Colonels head coach, reminded his players before the game that Burr and Burton had just come off a win against Hoosick Falls, one of the top teams in the league. And Brattleboro had previously been shutout by Hoosick Falls, so de Brujin wasn’t sure if his team should play a more defensive game against the Bulldogs.
He decided to go on the offensive instead.
"We’re at home, so I thought that we should go on the attack," said de Brujin. "We took risks and put plenty of pressure on their defense."
De Brujin said Kara Piergentili, Abbie Lesure, and Maddie Rollins were outstanding as defenders. "They were well organized and gave Lange enough room in the first half," he said.
The Colonel coach concluded that all of the team’s preseason conditioning is paying off. "We kept them on their toes," he said.
Brattleboro remains undefeated at home, improves to 3-2 on the season, and plays at MAU on Friday.
David Aquino can be reached at daquino@reformer.com, or by calling 802-254-2311, ext. 164.
