Kelly Leads Naz
9/20/2009

Sept. 19, 2009 

If nothing else, Bill McKee’s Nazareth Lasers have shown resiliency early in this high school soccer season. Two days after suffering a defeat to Section V power, Aquinas, Naz rebounded with a resounding victory over Northstar Christian.

Senior, Emily Kelly notched her first career hat trick, and Megan Kane recorded her second shutout as Naz downed the Knights 8-0 in Private-Parochial League action, Thursday.

Nazareth wasted little time getting on the board. In the match’s second minute, Harley ‘Wood’ Cleary took a pass from Kelly and let fly with a ‘laser’ beam which caromed of the cross bar. Biannca Bullard took advantage of the rebound and found the back of the net for the early lead.

Naz would have all they would need for the win, but they didn’t rest. Thirteen minutes later Kelly cashed in a set piece. Melissa Ercoli delivered a corner kick from the left side that made its way past the first line. Kelly, running the far post, easily deflected the pass for the tally.

Three minutes later, Kelly performed a sister act with younger sibling, Lauren. The younger Kelly settled the ball at midfield and caught her elder sister in full stride with a diagonal pass along the right flank. Emily Kelly had little trouble eluding the Northstar defense from there.

After playing almost the entire first half in their offensive end, the Blue and Gold proved the pitch to be level.

Five minutes into the second stanza, Cleary delivered a ball from the left flank, and Bullard beat the Knight net minder.  Barely two minutes later, Cleary tallied off an unsuspecting Northstar defender.

Emily Kelly completed her trifecta when Anna Brado served a ball from the right side of the box. Lauren Kelly did some goal work of her own when she beat the Knight keeper from 25 yards away. Stephanie Dicenzo closed the scoring from just inside the box. The goal was the first in the sophomore’s varsity career. Haley Swanson earned an assist on the play.

With the win Naz improved to 2-2 on the young season. The Blue and Gold fell in a hard fought match to the Little Irish, 4-1. The Lasers trailed 2-1 at half. Janine Swanson feathered a perfect pass over the Irish defense, and Emily Kelly beat the AQ goalie as Naz took the momentum into half. The Lasers had several opportunities to level the match early in the second stanza, but could not convert.

Paul Gotham
Pickin' Splinters