Home

29

May, 2013

Defense drives Barrington

The Barrington girls soccer team already had a strong defense.Then, with nine matches left in the regular season, Fillies coach Ryan Stengren moved senior midfielder Aimee Pierce back to defense. From that point on, Barrington has been even stingier, allowing a grand total of two goals.

Going into Tuesday’s Class 3A Barrington Supersectional match against St. Charles North — the contest was suspended with 20:44 left in the first half because of weather conditions — the Fillies (17-4-1) had not yielded a goal in the playoffs. Pierce and fellow four-year starter Emily Morin have anchored Barrington’s back line.

“It’s like having coaches out there,” Stengren said of Pierce and Morin. “They know my expectations and where they’re supposed to be to help everyone out.”

Although Pierce enjoys the midfield, she knew she could help the team the most by moving back to defense.

“She’s one of the most positive people I’ve ever met, and she wanted to do what was best for the team,” Stengren said. “She’s very good at defending and brings so much to the table for us.”

Morin plays club soccer with Pierce, where the duo plays together on defense. She knew that Pierce’s return to defense would make an immediate difference.

The latest example came in a 3-0 victory over Rockford Boylan in the Jacobs Sectional final. Pierce was primarily responsible for marking Indiana State-bound Abby Reed, and she thwarted Reed throughout the match.

“You know that if she’s going to (mark) someone, she’ll follow through and do her job really well,” Morin said. “She’s super-fast.”

Barrington’s entire group of primary defenders, which includes senior Meredith Slott, junior Gabby McLaurin and sophomore goalkeeper Hannah Luedtke, are communicating seamlessly on the field.

“It all comes down to our communication,” Morin said. “At the beginning of the year, we talked about how weather and field conditions can be variable, but communication and effort are the big things we can control every game. We’ve been talking so much more on the field this year and that has made everyone more comfortable with each other.”

Stengren said Morin’s leadership and ability to read the game sets her apart. She will play next year for Michigan Tech.

“She’s extremely intelligent, and during games she can organize people and solve problems,” he said.

Pierce said she can afford to take chances because she knows Morin will back her up.“Emily is a rock back there,” Pierce said. “It doesn’t seem as if she ever makes mistakes. We depend on her a lot.”

Website Manager

Amelia Island Youth Soccer

News Detail

29

May, 2013

Defense drives Barrington

Contact Us

Amelia Island Youth Soccer

Amelia Island Youth Soccer

IMPORTANT LINKS