MONMOUTH – The Hall-Dale Bulldogs took a 31-second wave of momentum and rode it for 67 minutes Tuesday.
Michelle Severence and Julia Nyitray scored goals 31 seconds apart in the first half of Hall-Dale’s Western Class C girls’ preliminary soccer game against No. 7 Monmouth and then held on for a 2-1 victory.
With just over 13 minutes played, the 10th-seeded Bulldogs (6-8-1) got a break when midfielder Heather St. Pierre got behind the Monmouth (6-6-3) defense and carried the ball into the left hand corner of the attacking zone. As Monmouth’s sweeper came over to defend, St. Pierre sent a crossing pass to the front of the net, and Severence buried it for a 1-0 lead.
“A defensive let down,” said Monmouth coach Steve Bodge. “When the girl got behind us, it forced our sweeper to come over. When that happens, you open up the middle of the field.”
Seconds later, the Bulldogs pounced to another attack down the same side of the field. This time Severence fed a pass to the crease area. Nyitray raced between a pair of defenders and one-touched a shot past Monmouth keeper Courtney Barrett (eight saves).
“I just look for an opening,” said Nyitray, who missed the first half of the season with a broken foot. “When I saw Michelle coming, I went to the open area and got a good touch on the ball.”
“We play with intensity and energy,” said Hall-Dale coach Guy Cousins. “When we score, our goal scorers get hungrier and hungrier.”
Monmouth would answer less than five minutes later off a corner kick. From just inside the top of the 18 area, Sarah Taylor sent a pass in front that Katie Woodman put past Bulldog keeper Chelsey Dionne (12 saves).
The Mustangs mixed things up in the second half in attempt to even the match.
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