Sports

Girls Soccer: Clippers, injury free (for a while), give cancer a kick

Southold/Greenport's goal scorer, Megan Van Bourgondien, lifting her leg high in the air in an attempt to control the ball. (Credit: Garret Meade)
Southold/Greenport’s goal scorer, Megan Van Bourgondien, lifting her leg high in the air in an attempt to control the ball. (Credit: Garret Meade)

CLIPPERS 1, WHALERS 0

Injuries have been as much a part of the Southold/Greenport high school girls soccer team’s season as balls, socks and cleats. So, it must have been a breath of fresh air for the Clippers to play fully healthy for the first time since their season-opening game, with the return from injury of Annie Lincoln and Hannah Sutton on Tuesday.

The Clippers’ health status didn’t remain at 100 percent for long. In the second half, sweeper Isabelle Simon and forward Jill Golden went down with injuries. The good news for the Clippers is coach Vaughn Locascio said he didn’t think the injuries were serious, noting that both players were walking after the game. Another piece of good news for the Clippers was the result: 1-0 in their favor over Pierson/Bridgehampton at Southold High School.

The Clippers (6-5-1, 6-4-1 in Suffolk County League VIII) wore light pink shirts and tie-die pink socks in the “Kicks for Cancer” game. Going up against a winless Pierson/Bridgehampton team (0-12, 0-11) that has been outscored this season, 47-7, a one-sided final score might have been expected. But the plucky Whalers gave a good account of themselves. They played hard, showed improvement and caused some uneasy moments for the Clippers. Pierson/Bridgehampton’s sophomore goalkeeper, Alyssa Kneeland, did well collecting balls in her penalty area and making 7 saves.

A goal by Megan Van Bourgondien with 5 minutes 2 seconds left in the first half stood up for the only score of the game. Golden laid down a pass to Grace Syron, who then put the ball forward deep in the penalty area for Van Bourgondien, whose left-footer found the far side of the net.

Although the Clippers held an 18-1 advantage in shots, the run of play was much more balanced than that.

Southold/Greenport hearts may have sunk when Simon went in for a tackle, landed wrong and suffered what Locascio believes is a hip or a groin injury with 25:06 left in the game. When Simon rose to her feet, she started walking off gingerly, favoring her left leg before putting each of her arms around teammates to help her the rest of the way to the bench.

Then, with only three seconds to go, Golden hurt her ankle and walked off the field.

[email protected]