New England Soccer Today

Wasteful Breakers Fall to Flash

Photo credit: Kari Heistad/capturedimages.biz

Photo credit: Kari Heistad/capturedimages.biz

There were plenty of chances for the taking, but the Boston Breakers simply weren’t clinical enough in Sunday’s 2-0 loss to the Western New York Flash at Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium in Allston, Mass.

Despite outshooting the Flash 17-12, the Breakers were kept off the board by Flash keeper Chantel Jones, who made seven saves. Making matters worse, the guests capitalized on their own opportunities with goals from Lynn Williams and Elizabeth Eddy in the 19th and 42nd minutes, respectively.

The loss kept the Breakers on 11 points with a 3-5-2 record. The Flash, which started the game on 10 points, leapfrogged the Breakers on the table to go to 13 points with a 4-4-1 record.

“We created chances tonight that we didn’t finish,” Boston Breakers head coach Tom Durkin said in a team release. “We got in some good positions tonight, but took extra touches where we didn’t need to.”

It took only seven minutes for the Breakers to find their first opportunity, which came on a dangerous shot from Kristie Mewis. But the Boston College product was denied by Jones, who palmed it away for the first of her seven saves.

Not long after Mewis was denied, Suzanne Pires found herself unmarked at the corner of the six with an open look in the 17th minute. But Pires fired her shot well over the bar, much to the chagrin of the home support.

While the Breakers were busy tossing their chances in the wastebasket, the Flash hit paydirt on one of their first opportunities. Jamia Fields ran down the right, and tested keeper Jami Kranich with a low drive. Kranich stopped the shot, but the rebound rolled across the goalmouth before William tapped it through to put the Breakers in an early deficit.

The Breakers threatened again in the 36th minute when Morgan Marlborough found Katie Schoepfer at the top of the area, where she blasted a shot that forced Jones to push it over the end line for a corner kick.

Williams threatened again in the 42nd minute, though this time, in a supporting role. The Flash midfielder sent a through ball to Eddy, who raced onto it and slipped past Kranich, who came off her line an attempt to meet Eddy head on. With an open net in front of her, Eddy didn’t miss, and the Flash went into halftime with a two-goal margin.

Mewis, who was playing against her younger sister, Samantha, a member of the Flash midfield corps, hit another close range shot in the 66th minute, but her effort strayed wide of frame. Teammate Bia blasted a free kick from just outside the 18, but Jones stopped the Brazilian striker’s shot to preserve the clean sheet.

“We’re not really happy with our performance,” Kristie Mewis said in a team release. “It really didn’t end up being what we wanted it to be, so we’re pretty disappointed.”

The Breakers will return to action on Jul. 9 when they host FC Kansas City at Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:00pm.

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