MILFORD >> Meghan Sengstacken and her Foran teammates are having fun right now. And why wouldn’t they be?
Traveling down the road to Devon to face rival Jonathan Law, the Lions were in the midst of a hot streak. Sengstacken made sure that streak continued.
Scoring the lone goal of the first half, Sengstacken helped the Lions to a 3-0 victory over Law in a Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision game at Jonathan Law Thursday evening.
“Our intensity has really been up,” Sengstacken said. “We have been playing with good team work and we are really together. We keep supporting each other and we have a positive attitude. We don’t talk about or think about the past. We take it one game and one day at a time.”
For Sengstacken and the seniors, Thursday evening’s victory was one to savor as the Lions have been swept by Law the past two years.
“It feels amazing,” Sengstacken said. “The past two years, we have lost both times each season. So to win the last time playing here is amazing.”
The first half was more a battle of possession and while both teams had their share of scoring opportunities, only Foran was able to convert.
After Foran junior Hayley Byers took a free kick and the loose ball found its way in front, Sengstacken delivered a rocket past Law goalkeeper Gina DiFederico with 21 minutes, 28 seconds remaining in the opening half.
“This team has really come together,” Foran coach Casey Blake said after her team moved to 5-2-1 with its fourth straight victory. “They have great soccer chemistry out there. That is clearly evident. They play off each other. They work hard. It all starts with the seniors. I can’t say enough about them.”
The goal by Sengstacken was the last quality attempt of the opening half by the Lions as Law applied pressure. Law’s Samara Thacker was turned away by Foran goalkeeper Abigail Lucas with 20 minutes remaining and a lofted shot by Catherine Rice was also denied by Lucas 9:45 later.
Law had two more opportunities to even the game in the opening half, but Bethany Edwards’ hard shot was denied from 20 yards out with 11 minutes to go. Cassidy White took a corner kick with just under four minutes remaining in the half, and after Kiana Walker slipped away, Walker’s shot was blocked in close with 3:46 left in the opening half.
“We have had opportunities in the last few games where we have had possession most of the half in the other end, but it has been a case of maybe needing one or two more passes to get a better angle,” Law coach J.D. Rhode said after his team dropped to 3-4-2. “We just have not been able to get one in.”
Law had the better of the play to start the second half, but missed opportunities and solid defensive play by Foran, including that of junior Allison May, kept Law off the scoreboard.
Jocelyn Wirth was denied by Lucas seven minutes in, then shot over the goal from 25 yards out with 13:30 remaining. After Foran’s defense again turned Law away, the Lions found themselves in a rush up the field.
With a collision in front of the Law goal, Foran’s Milani Gray tapped a pass to Kayla Coppola who fired into an empty net for a 2-0 Foran advantage with 9:31 left.
“The goal came against the run of play,” Rhode said. “At that point in the game, we were pushing numbers up and were carrying the play. That was a tough one.”
The Lions got another for insurance with 5:02 remaining when Ariana Montero found Byers for a 3-0 lead.
“I am so proud of them,” Blake said. “I am so happy for the seniors. It is rewarding to see the win for them. We have been playing well.”
Lucas finished with 12 saves in the win for Foran.
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