Baldwin seeks second-half push

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A well-timed bye week could be just what the doctor ordered for Baldwin’s girls’ soccer team after consecutive losses to Syosset (4-0 on Sept. 22) and Hicksville (3-2 on Sept. 19.)

In the most recent loss, to the first-place Lady Braves, a goal in the opening 15 seconds of the game put the Lady Bruins (2-4-2 overall, 1-2-2 in Conference AA-II) into an immediate hole they couldn’t dig out of.

In dropping a one-goal decision to the Lady Comets, Baldwin did get a good barometer of where it stands when it does bring its best game to the field. In fact, both of the Lady Bruins non-conference losses were by one goal to Conference AA-I opponents, with one, Calhoun, a three-time Nassau County runner up. “I think once we get one in early that will help get our confidence back,” coach Darius Burton said.

Injuries to a pair of key players during the preseason forced Burton to shakeup the lineup from the start, and he expected to do some added tinkering coming out of the bye week. With Farmingdale and Mepham both on tap after presstime, Burton was turning to his junior varsity team for some additional offensive punch. Senior co-captain Jade Aponte totaled four goals and five assists through the first eight games, while senior Kelsey Cohen and Julia Alt each had one multi-goal game so far, but the hope was sophomore Nicole Jones could add more spark.

A transfer, Jones had already posted 10 goals for the JV team. “She’s a very good athlete,” Burton said. “We’re hoping her speed can create some more opportunities for us up front,” he said.

Aponte has logged time at both midfield and forward and is one of the top playmaking options on an offense that also includes freshman Maggie Thibault at center midfield. In her second varsity season, Thibault is perhaps the Lady Bruins most skilled player. Junior Bridget Jules is at left midfield, while freshman Aisling Geraghty was expected to move to the right midfield slot with sophomore Karla Denis and Alt also in the mix.

Sophomore Montia Moon made a strong impression during last season’s playoff run, and on the way to earning the starting job has posted a pair of shutouts in the first month of games. “She’s a very good athlete and good at [stopping] the high balls,” Burton said.

Senior co-captain Marissa Rhoden anchors the defense as the sweeper, while sophomore Julie Annecchiarico has become the Lady Bruins top marking back and stopper. Senior Morgan Rachlin and sophomore Madison Millwood are Baldwin’s two outside backs.

Key matchups with Long Beach—at home Oct. 6—and Plainview JFK, Oct. 8—loom as Baldwin hits the second half of its Conference AA-II schedule. “We have to finish in the top four,” Burton said of his team, which sat four points behind Mepham for the spot at the start of the week. “We wanted to regroup and get it together.”