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Central scores state soccer title

WORCESTER — What took a girls soccer program 15 years to reach, Central Catholic’s Jill Lane needed only a few seconds — and a powerful foot — to secure. The senior midfielder rifled home Central’s second goal of the night, powering the Raiders to the school’s first state soccer title with a 2-1 victory over Shrewsbury in the Division 1 championship. An incredulous Shrewsbury coach Chip DelPrete called it a “shot of a lifetime.” “She’s a gutsy player,” Central coach Casey Grange said. “I think she took two people on ... The keeper was playing the cross but (Lane) stepped up and snuck it behind her. It was a phenomenal goal from a phenomenal player.” The goal came with 8:11 left and 15 minutes after Shrewsbury tied the score. Lane appeared to be running out of space to the right of the net, but drilled the game-winner from a severe angle. “The ball kind of went over my head into the corner,” Lane said. “I controlled it and got it to the net a little bit, but I had a weird angle. I just hit it the right way and it went over the goalie’s head into the top corner. But I’ve gotten goals like that before sometimes. I just watched it go, thinking ‘This is amazing.’ ” Lane, who finished the year with 12 goals, might have been nonchalant, but it stunned the Colonials. “There were two good teams playing tonight,” said DelPrete, whose squad finished 15-4-2. “Somebody’s got to win. That was a shot of a lifetime (Lane) made from the corner. That was a laser beam. My defender did the right thing, shading her outside and pushing her to the end line, but she turned and made just a perfect shot.” The Raiders (18-1-3), who had not lost since the second game of the season, looked intent on making their first trip to the state-title game a success, dominating action from the start. Central outshot the Colonials 11-6 the first half. And when freshman Courtney Walsh connected from seven yards out off a pass from Alex Riddle, the Raiders grabbed the lead with six minutes left before intermission. Lane and Walsh each had four attempts in the opening half while. Those two combined with Gabie Polce and Alexa Poulin to keep pressure on the Shrewsbury goalie. “My assistants and I were very good at evaluating the other team right away,” said Grange, who never had the chance to scout Shrewsbury. “We marked their best player right away (senior Emily Benjamin) and she kept switching all over the field, so our girls knew right away that Nicolette (Pelrine) was going to be on her. Like she’s done all year, she shut (Benjamin) down.” Shrewsbury, however, tied the score midway through the second when Jess Morana hauled in a save by Jill Hatzikonstantis off a corner kick and popped the rebound past the Central goalie. “Corner kicks have sort of been our Achilles’ heel,” Grange said. “So if we can stop them on corner kicks, I know we’ll be golden.” Fifteen years after the program got its start, it was Lane who had the Midas touch. Central Catholic 2, Shrewsbury 1 Division 1 State Final Goals: CC — Courtney Walsh, Jill Lane; S — Jess Morana Assists: CC — Alex Riddle Saves: CC — Jane Hatzikonstantis 7; S — Davinne Zadravec 5 Shrewsbury (15-4-2):    0 1 — 1 Central Catholic (18-1-3):    1 1 — 2

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Girls Soccer, 11/19/10 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars
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