Baldwin enjoys 10-win season

Though Baldwin fell behind early in its Nassau Class AA girls’ soccer playoff quarterfinal matchup with top-seeded Calhoun on Oct. 26, the Lady Bruins had their chances in a game they eventually lost 3-0.

“We created some opportunities we just didn’t finish,” Baldwin coach Darius Burton said. “It’s tough when you let up a goal in the third minute, but we battled and had some free kicks and corners. I think the game might have been different if we put one in the net in the first half.”

Calhoun’s three leading goal scorers, seniors Annie Coogan and Kathryn Healy, and sophomore Kerry Pearson, all got on the scoresheet against the Lady Bruins, who impressed Lady Colts coach James Raucci. “Baldwin just knows how to compete and had us on our heels a little bit,” Raucci said. “They made us nervous in the first half even though we scored early. Our girls got impatient for a stretch and got away from their game a bit, but in the second half we got back to playing together and playing our game.”

Pearson scored her sixth of the year less than three minutes in on a slick and cold day. Coogan (9 goals) and Healy (6) scored a few minutes apart in the second half. “Offensively, we don’t really know where the ball is going to land and who’s going to bury a shot in the net,” Raucci said. “We have nice balance.”

Baldwin sophomore goalkeeper Megan Doyle made 10 saves, while Calhoun’s Julia Miguel made three stops in her sixth shutout in the last seven games. “Megan played unbelievable for us all season,” Burton said of Doyle, who was named the conference goalie of the year. “We were expecting a tough and physical game. We knew what we were in for. Once they got that second goal, it took us down a notch.”

The outcome put an end to a highly successful season for Baldwin, which finished runner-up in Conference AA-2 behind Farmingdale and reached double digits in wins (10) on the campaign. “We graduated about a dozen kids from last year’s team so I’m really pleased,” Burton said. “The girls meshed together quickly.

“In Conference II, if you make the playoffs you’re more than likely facing a good team a third time,” he explained. “Then if you advance, you go against a top four team coming off bye. It’s hard.”

Baldwin split regular-season games with Plainview and drew the Lady Hawks in the 8-9 seed matchup in the first round on Oct. 23. Senior All-County selections Jenna Annecchiarico (two) and Maggie Thibault combined for all the offense in a 3-1 victory. Doyle had nine saves.

“We used our home field to our advantage,” Burton said.

Annecchiarico moved to forward from sweeper a few weeks prior to the playoffs, Burton said, to bolster the offense. “I had enough faith in the defense and goalie to do it,” he said. Junior Nicolette Manzella slid into the sweeper spot to lead the defense along with senior Lauren Millwood and sophomores Breanna Lopez and Elena Randolph.