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Falcons find goal in 77th minute against UNH
Air Force midfielder Bridgett Murphy scores against New Hampshire in the 77th minute of the Falcons’ 1-0 victory on Sunday. (photo by George Tanner/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)
COLORADO SPRINGS — Air Force’s Bridgett Murphy has been struggling with an ankle injury all year. Her goal against New Hampshire on Sunday at the academy made the pain go away.
Murphy volleyed in the winner in the 77th minute from the top of the penalty area as the Falcons won their second match of the season, a 1-0 decision that was settled against the run of play.
Murphy was prowling near the semi-circle when a ball came in from the right side. Murphy and two defenders were in a position to make a play, but the sophomore, with her back to the goal, took a touch to settle then a touch to separate from the defense. It worked. Murphy found herself with time to look and shoot, and she buried the ball into the side netting on the left.
“It felt really good,” Murphy said. “I just took a touch, took another touch and just saw the open space of the goal. I was like, OK, and I shot it and it went in.”
She hurt her left ankle in the preseason then took three weeks to get back to practice. She said she’s tried to take it easy during the last couple of games, but every now and then something awkward will happen to aggravate it, like stepping the wrong way in a divot on the turf. She and the academy trainers have been working to rehab the ankle, taping it and doing specific exercises for the joint.
“It’s taped up like a cast right now; it’s really thick,” Murphy said. “I go in for some tackles, and it really hurts. But it goes away.”
And nothing helps that pain go away like scoring a goal.
But although the first half was fairly even, with each team getting a few chances, the second half belonged to New Hampshire. The Wildcats controlled play with a 4-5-1. UNH’s busy midfield kept Air Force from connecting its passes and getting out of its own end. The five midfielders also created numerous chances for speedy Shauna Kaplan, a senior forward who wore No. 15.
“Fifteen was hurting us,” Air Force coach Larry Friend said. “Fifteen was getting through, and I think what was happening was that they were staying so wide that our outside back was getting tucked out a little wide. And she should’ve tucked in and dropped a little bit, and then they’re playing in front of us. But she got suckered by that a little bit. I tried to make a sub to adjust that, but everyone was struggling with that. We were just very fortunate that 15 was just an inch off once or twice.”
Kaplan nearly tied the game up in the 83rd minute, but her hard, low shot rolled just wide of the mark. Another attempt from the left rolled wide right just before Murphy’s goal, and Kaplan missed another one wide shortly after halftime.
“As a team we have a little bit of difficulty keeping possession,” Murphy said. “The defense, all they have to do is stick a foot in, and everything you’ve been working for is blown to bits. It’s really hard just in general to keep possession, but we’re working on it. We’re gradually working our way up the field.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Air Force fans are going to think I’m crazy; this marks the second time in as many days that I’m not going to pick the goal scorer in a 1-0 victory for the Falcons. But I’m going to go with freshman forward Stephanie Patterson. She wore No. 15 for Air Force, and she had some chances of her own. She was denied on the doorstep by UNH goalkeeper Ally Yost in the 83rd minute and had most of Air Force’s limited opportunities in the second half. Yost agreed. Midway through the half, the goalkeeper barked at her defense, “Make sure somebody’s covering 15.” Ally, you just don’t yell those things out loud so the player in question can hear you. It’s an instant dose of confidence, and Patterson played like it.
WAS SHE WEARING CROCS ON THE FIELD? No, those were actually bright orange soccer boots that New Hampshire’s Amy Avitabile had on. Unfortunately, Avitabile was injured in the second half and had to be carried off the pitch.
TAG-TEAM SHUTOUT: Charity Blanton played the first half in goal for Air Force, and Ariana Green was in net for the second half. Although New Hampshire had more of the ball in the second half, Blanton was more active, making two diving saves in the opening period. Green, though, has a stronger leg and stronger arms and was able to relieve the pressure that the Wildcats were applying in the second 45 minutes.
NEW HAMPSHIRE STARTERS: Yost, Avitabile, Jordyn Krall, Morgan Keefe, Chelsey Tewell, Kaplan, Kelly Mooney, Ashley Avitabile, Monique Lamotte, Kelly Spencer, Alli Rozelle.
AIR FORCE STARTERS: Blanton, Kim Koeppen, Kelly Bieber, Krystin Shanklin, Kelsey Yip, Ashley Sikora, Patterson, Sophia Lockerby, Amber Sikora, Cassie Wilson, Kelly Laurent.
George Tanner is a former writer and editor for the Rocky Mountain News; the Greeley Tribune; The Daily Independent of Ridgecrest, Calif.; the Durango Herald; and the Boulder Daily Camera. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado and an affiliate professor at Metropolitan State College of Denver. E-mail him at ColoradoSoccerNow@gmail.com.
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