MHS girls varsity soccer maintains undefeated record

The Lady Dutch soccer team remains undefeated this season in its fourth week.

submitted by Scott Somerville

The Manchester High Schools Girls Varsity Soccer team entered the fourth week of spring competition looking to stay undefeated and extend their 4-0-0 record with matches against Michigan Center and Quincy.

On Monday April 26, the Lady Dutch visited Michigan Center for their second match this season facing the Cardinals. Playing on grass, Manchester struck first at the 5:00 minute mark with a goal by sophomore striker Mary Sangster, assisted by freshman winger Meghan (MJ) Somerville. Eighteen minutes later, Sangster scored her second goal of the match directly from a corner kick. Thirty seconds later, Sangster struck again for the hat-trick and her thirteenth goal of the season, assisted by sophomore mid-fielder Marlena Ballnik.

At 26 minutes, sophomore striker Grace Helmke netted Manchester’s fourth goal, with the assist by Somerville. With two minutes left in the half, freshman striker Fiona Howard scored her first goal of the season, assisted by Ballnik. At halftime, Manchester enjoyed a comfortable 5-0 lead.

In the second half, the scoring continued for Manchester with two goals from sophomore outside-back Sara Hock while playing in a striker position; her first goals this season. Both goals were assisted by freshman center-back Lydia Bennett, also playing in a striker position. Michigan Center then pressed and was able to score one from the right side to get on the board. Looking to close the game out, Bennett scored the eighth and ninth goals, her first goals for the season.

When asked about scoring her first goals, Bennett commented, “I would say it was fulfilling. The hard work that I’ve put in over the off season is showing through and I’m excited to see how the rest of the season goes.”

The game ended 9-1 with 8:00 minutes remaining based on the mercy rule for High School soccer, extending the Lady Dutch record to 5-0-0.

The following day, Manchester hosted the visiting Orioles from Quincy. Quincy started strong by pressing the defense of the Lady Dutch, but the back-four of Hock, Bennett, Junior center-back Madison Chizek and freshman outside-back Gianna Turek, together with freshman goalkeeper Megan Edwards, held firm, allowing no goals. The pace of the game was then controlled by Manchester and the first goal was scored at five minutes by Howard, assisted by Sangster.

Three minutes later, Ballnik scored another, her fifth of the season, assisted by Sangster. At ten minutes the scoring continued for Manchester with a goal by freshman winger Emma Woods, assisted by Ballnik. At 13 minutes, sophomore striker Grace Helmke netted Manchester’s fourth goal with the assist by Bennett. Nine minutes later, Somerville scored Manchester’s fifth goal, and her first for the season, assisted by Ballnik.

At the 25 minute mark, Howard netted her second of the match, assisted by Sangster. Sangster scored Manchester’s seventh goal from a Somerville assist, and the last goal of the game was from a free kick by Chizek, her first for the season, to put the Lady Dutch up 8-0 in the first half. The remaining time in the half was played and when the first half was completed, the mercy rule ended the game at 8-0, giving Manchester their sixth victory of the season.

For the week of May 3, the Lady Dutch will be away vs. Leslie on Tuesday May 4 with a 5:30 pm start, and on Wednesday May 5, Manchester will host Bronson with a 5:30 pm start. On Saturday May 8, the team will travel to Quincy for a 2-game tournament starting at 10 am.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.