MANSFIELD, Mass. – For the first time in the opening 25 minutes, Foxboro found a path into the Mansfield penalty area. Neve Taylor ran onto a looped pass from Lauren Miley in the left channel. The sophomore forward squared up her marker, cut into the box on her right foot, and fired a shot into the left bottom corner.
It was Taylor’s third goal in two games this season and proved to be the decisive moment, as Foxboro held on for a 1-0 win on Tuesday night at Alumni Field.
“She is just that outside-mid force that is just our secret weapon that no one is ready for all the time,” first-year Foxboro coach Jen Lippolis said of Taylor, who has scored all the Warriors’ goals so far this season.
“Milford was a little shock to a lot of the girls because it was their first time ever playing in a varsity game and experiencing that level of physicality. They were ready today and they pushed back today.”
Foxboro’s goal came against the run of play, as Mansfield started brighter in what turned out to be a combative, competitive, hard-fought battle between two teams with league title aspirations.
The Hornets had a good chance after seven minutes, when Jill Koppy intercepted a pass and fed Alexis O’Keefe in the center of the pitch. O’Keefe laid a pass into the path of left winger Olivia Homsi, who won possession back immediately after it was stolen and curled a shot wide of the far post.
Ten minutes later, Mansfield was on the attack again. Lyla Nappa slipped a pass in behind the Warriors back line and freshman Alexandra Fernandes hit a shot across the front of goal that Foxboro keeper Allie Sougaris held onto. Following the goal, Fernandes had another good look from the center of the box but Sougaris was able to get down quickly to her right to tip the shot past the post.
“When you’ve got young kids, four freshman, a lot of new sophomores, even some juniors who’ve never played varsity before, right from the preseason they’ve been bringing it,” Mansfield coach Kevin Smith said about his young attackers. “They brought it tonight and we had tons of shots and opportunities but just couldn’t score.”
Foxboro gained confidence from its goal and started to get a larger foothold in the match. Part of that was the move of Erin Foley into the center of midfield, where her physicality and composure were vital to the Warriors getting forward.
“She sets the tone for the team and everyone sort of follows her pace,” Lippolis said. “I’ll take the fouls at the 40 just to sort of push back because sometimes you have to. She never shies away.”
At the half hour mark, freshman Morgan Riley was able to deflect a ball into the path of classmate Shea Dorney for a shot that forced Mansfield’s Olivia Salisbury into a save. Sophomore Meghan McCann showed her strength to earn Mansfield a chance, winning the ball in the box and cutting it back to freshman Lauren Signoriello for a shot just wide.
With nearly the last kick of the half, Foxboro was nearly two goals in front. Foley won the header in midfield and Miley played another perfect through ball into the channel for Taylor. This time, her left-footed shot flashed just wide of the far post.
Mansfield came out of the break on the front foot and had two early chances to equalize. McCann again was able to win a duel with her marker to gain possession in the box but her shot from the left was across the face of goal. Two minutes later, freshman Olivia Dunham stepped up from center back to win the ball. O’Keefe’s one-touch pass sprung Reagan Trout down the left wing. After a 50-yard run, Trout’s shot was charged down by Lindsey Resnick.
The pattern continued midway through the half. Sophomore Aniela Diieso was able to win the ball on the right edge of the box and cut the ball to Gabby Seifert making a late run from midfield. The first-time shot was just wide. Brooke Penney then got the ball to Fernandes on the wing and she cut inside to create space, but her shot was right at Sougaris.
“Lindsey, this is her third year starting at center back so she’s calm,” Lippolis said about her team’s defensive effort. “Having her see the whole field and directing everyone, and they listen to her, which is great. And Allie behind her in net, the two of them are such a force.”
Foley nearly put the game away with five minutes to play. She ran onto Dorney’s corner and hit a cushioned volley on target, but Salisbury came up with a full-stretch save to deny the Foxboro junior a stunning goal.
As time wound down, there was a moment of controversy. Fernandes again cut into the box from the left and held possession against tight marking. A whistle came from across the field. Although the play was in the box at the time of the call, the official on the far side ruled that the foul started outside the box and awarded a free kick right on the line. Dunham curled her shot over the wall, but Sougaris (seven saves) was able to get two hands to it and was fouled in the attempt to collect it fully.
There was still time for Taylor to have another chance. This time she got in behind the Mansfield defense, which was pressing forward to try and tie the game, but Salisbury (five saves) was able to get a palm to the clipped shot and keep the deficit at one.
“We just couldn’t finish,” Smith explained. “Credit to their defense, credit to their goalie. She made some great saves and they were able to put us off a step or two there to hit some wide, fingertip to some.”
Foxboro (2-0-0) will have its home opener on Thursday against Franklin. Mansfield (1-2-0) will try to bounce back with a home game against North Attleboro.