WPSL: Burke’s Brace Helps Mutiny Clinch Division
- Updated: July 12, 2015
Photo credit: New England Mutiny
Megan Burke collected a brace to steer the New England Mutiny to a division-clinching 5-1 victory over Jersey Blues F.C. on Saturday at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J.
Burke struck in the first and 63rd minutes while Tori Sousa and Andrea Plucenik scored in the 25th and 31st minutes, respectively, to give the Mutiny a comfortable lead going into the break. Jersey Blues pulled one back in the 51st minute, but the Mutiny made it a four-goal advantage when Breanne Moreau capped the account in the 82nd minute.
With the win, the Mutiny claimed the Power 5 conference on 18 points (6-1-0). They will face the Seacoast United Phantoms in one of the WPSL East Region semifinals, which kick off the weekend of Jul. 18-19.
The loss doomed the Blues to finish the regular season in forgettable fashion, remaining stuck on six points (1-4-3).
It took only 21 seconds for the Mutiny to assert themselves in a match that had a ticket to the postseason on the line. Kate Howarth picked out Burke with a pass, and the Mutiny midfielder sent it through for a lead right off the bat.
Sousa extended that lead minutes just after the midway mark of the first stanza when she volleyed a cross from Plucenik into the back of the net.
Plucenik joined the goalscoring party after she collected a pass from Julia Cipriano near the edge of the box and blasted it through just after the half hour mark to send the Mutiny into halftime with a comfortable lead.
The hosts cut into the lead in the 51st minute, but the Mutiny responded when Meghan Cunningham crossed it for Burke, who buried it with a well-placed header in the 63rd minute.
Moreau widened the gap to four shortly after she latched onto a ball from Alexa Keney and deposited into the Blues net in the 82nd minute.
The Mutiny close out their regular season schedule on Sunday at East Longmeadow High School when they host the Buxmont Torch. Kickoff is set for 4:00pm.
The WPSL East Region playoffs will commence during the weekend of Jul. 18-19.
Related Posts
About Brian O'Connell
