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10/10/2017 12:00 AMAfter picking up three more victories last week, the North Branford girls’ soccer team improved to 10-1 and is sitting pretty in the No. 2 slot of the Shoreline Conference standings. Last week, the T-Birds posted three shutouts by blanking Portland 1-0, edging Valley Regional by that same score, and earning a 3-0 win versus Haddam-Killingworth.
North Branford has already clinched a berth in the Class M State Tournament and is in a good position to once again reach the Shoreline bracket. The T-Birds, who returned 10 starters from their 2016 squad, have only allowed three goals in their 11 games thus far this season.
“Last year, we were doing a bunch of math to make sure we made the Shoreline Conference Tournament. This year, I’m confident we’re going to make it, and we’re hoping we’ll have a bye and host a semifinal game. That’ll help us reach our goal of making a run in those two tournaments,” said Head Coach Pat Kozloski. “The girls are working extremely hard, and we’re pushing them. A year ago it was awesome just to make it. Now, we want to raise our level and make a push. The girls are rising to the occasion and their hard work is being rewarded.”
After starting the season by playing six of its first eight games on the road, North Branford was on its home field for all three of its matchups last week. The week began with a 1-0 victory over Portland on Oct. 2. Goalie Allie Augur made seven saves for the Thunderbirds, who saw fellow junior Ana Pavic boot home the game-winning goal on a penalty kick with 9:27 to play. The PK was set up on a great individual effort from senior Jenna Bryden. After making a long run up field, Bryden was pulled down in the box, and the T-Birds were awarded the penalty kick.
“It was a close, tight game. [Portland] had the run of play at times, but between Allie and [defender Jessie Kilburn], we cleared up a couple opportunities Portland had, and we finally got playing,” Kozloski said. “[Portland] didn’t have any true scoring opportunities, in my opinion, and we did enough.”
On Oct. 5, the T-Birds hosted another Shoreline Conference opponent when Valley Regional came to town. North Branford captured a 1-0 victory to hand the Warriors just their second loss of the season.
“Valley is a pretty darn good team. They remind me a lot of us last year. Prior to our game, they only had [one loss], a bunch of ties, and a couple of wins,” Kozloski said. “They had the run of play at times, too. We talk about how we are going to weather the storm, because we’re not going to take it to teams for 80 minutes. It’s about how we bounce back and control the tempo after that.”
Once again, the Thunderbirds punched home a late goal to come away with the win. This time, it was senior Mackenzie MacGowan who netted the game-winner. Coach Kozloski said that senior Amanda Bouffard made a couple of excellent touches along the end line, after which she juggled the ball to herself, and then found MacGowan for the goal with 10:22 remaining.
“We talk about how there is a reason the game is 80 minutes. You can score in the second minute or in the 70th minute,” Kozloski said. “We want to score a goal a game. We feel with our defensive quality and Allie in goal, if we get one per game, we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”
North Branford’s final game of the week was against Haddam-Killingworth on Oct. 7. The T-Birds were able to breathe a little easier in that one as they recorded a 3-0 victory. Sophomore Lexi Rosado scored a pair of goals for North Branford, and Pavic had the third goal. Although H-K is in the Shoreline Conference, this game didn’t count toward the league standings, and so Kozloski used it as an opportunity to get some different players involved in the varsity fray.
As North Branford continues taking major steps forward while proving itself as a force in the Shoreline Conference, Coach Kozloski knows that his team won’t catch opponents by surprise anymore. Consequently, Kozloski wants his athletes to always be ready for the opposition to bring its best.
“Last year, we were the newcomers, and we were fighting. Before matches, we didn’t get as much credit as we may have deserved, but now with our record and being second in the Shoreline Conference, it’s a little different,” he said. “We have to realize now we have a target on our backs as teams want to beat us. We need to make sure we play good quality soccer every time out.”
• Prior to last week, North Branford’s victories came against East Haven (1-0), Old Saybrook (1-0), Morgan (2-1), Westbrook (4-1), East Hampton (3-0), Capital Prep (6-0), and Coginchaug (3-0). The Thunderbirds’ lone loss came against Old Lyme by a 1-0 final on Sept. 26.
• For the rest of the regular season, North Branford plays at Haddam-Killingworth at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12; is home for East Haven at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14; plays at Valley Regional at 6;30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21; and has a game at Law at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 23.