PLAINS TWP. – Coughlin’s eight seniors earned their first-ever win over their rivals with a 3-2 victory over Dallas Monday in Wyoming Valley Conference girls soccer.
The Crusaders (12-1) put themselves into sole possession of first place in the division with two games remaining against Nanticoke and Hanover Area.
The Crusaders came back from a one-goal halftime deficit to come back against the Mountaineers (10-2). Mary Tona scored both the game-tying and –winning goals in the second half.
After a first half full of Dallas chances, the Mountaineer offense frittered in the second half. Dallas’ only two chances came in the 60th and 62nd minutes. Both times Ruby Mattson beat a defender to have a chance at net. Mattson shot too high on the first, and Coughlin keeper Paige Davis raced to the top of the box to stop a second at short-range. Admittedly, Spagnuolo said he called “Dallas goal” on the sidelines on both breakaways.
“We just didn’t put our chances in the net,” Lewis said. “They had a really nice goal there. Tona turned on our defender. Like I told our girls, we have to take care of our opportunities. If we took care of a couple more opportunities in the first half and connect on one of those in the second, it wouldn’t have been an issue.”
Megan Miller scored the first Dallas goal from Tiffany Zukosky on a chip shot from the left side that the keeper tried to stop with one hand in the 25th. Dallas took the lead in the 28th when Rachel Maniskas crossed a ball to Gabriela Ramirez. Ramirez one-touched the ball with her back heel.
Breanne Georgette saved a Dallas goal from going in when a Zukosky shot went through Davis’ hands, and Georgette shielded it away at the front line-back post.
