Girls soccer: St. Dom’s pulls away from Buckfield in second half

AUBURN — St. Dominic Academy didn’t spoil any second-half chances against Buckfield.

Behind Charlie Apodaca’s two long-distance goals in the second half, the Saints defeated the Bucks 3-0 in a Class D South girls soccer game Saturday.

“I think our team did a good job spreading out so I can get those shots,” Apodaca said.

St. Dom’s coach Jarrod Carnrick said the Saints (6-3-1) played more aggressively in the second half.

“We just wanted to up the tempo; we thought we weren’t as physical as we could be,” Carnrick said. “As soon as we increased the aggression, the chances came our way. Charlie did an amazing job. Those aren’t easy shots to make.”

Buckfield (7-2) coach Larry Thornton said the Saints rode the energy they got from the quick goals.

“They took advantage of the momentum and right after the half, they got a goal, then they got two,” Thornton said. “We could not recover. I told my girls, ‘The two-nothing lead is the most dangerous lead because you either are getting a third (goal) and it’s going to be three-nothing, or the other team will get one and it will be 2-1 and the other team will be on its heels.'”

The Saints had most of the chances in the first half. Avery Gravel had a prime opportunity hit the crossbar in the 25th minute.

Seven minutes later, Brooklyn Whited sent a cross into the box, but Buckfield goalie Kianna Finnegan (13 saves) made the stop.

With four minutes remaining in the first half, Finnegan stopped a Gabby Allen shot in the 18-yard box.

Thornton said the Bucks had their chances against St. Dom’s goalie Anna Theriault in the first half.

“I thought we had some good opportunities,” Thornton said. “She’s a good keeper, and she will make that save every time on the floaters. We just didn’t get enough on her or good, hard stuff. We didn’t hit enough crossbars or we didn’t beat the goalie.”

Theriault made two of her five saves in the first half.

Apodaca had a boot from 35 yards out beat Finnigan for a 1-0 St. Dom’s lead four minutes into the second half.

Apodaca showed off her leg again a few minutes later when she curled the ball inside the far post.

“It was kind of relieving almost because our team has been doing a lot better this year than we have been in the past,” Apodaca said of building a two-goal lead for the Saints. “It was relieving getting up and having a lead.”

Allen stretched the lead to 3-0 after Finnigan made the initial stop, but the ball bounced off Allen’s body and into the net seven minutes into the second half.

“That was a pretty big five-minute period,” Carnrick said. “We tried to keep pressuring them and it really paid off.”

Gravel nearly made it 4-0 on a penalty kick 13 minutes into the second half, but the ball hit the crossbar and didn’t go over the line.

Carnrick also credited the defense for shutting down the Bucks. It’s the Saints’ sixth clean sheet of the season.

“Anna (Geyer) is definitely a huge player, excellent with her clears, stepping up or dropping when she needs to,” Carnrick said. “Our goalie Anna (Theriault), anything that comes her way, she’s on it. She’s been amazing this year by pitching shutouts. I am happy for them, especially being homecoming. It’s a big win for them.”