MANCHESTER, NH – Manchester Memorial’s midfielder/forward Alivia Wilkinson lay on the ground with her neck held immobile with 5:36 to go in the second half. For precautionary measures, she was turned onto a long spine board once an ambulance was onsite.
She lay an uncomfortably long time on Grizzlies Field, but was moving while being loaded into the ambulance.
The Grizzlies were up 8-0 when play was halted in an aggressive but clean game. Wilkinson’s injury was blameless as was the one to Memorial’s Jenna LaBerge in the first half when she got spiked on the left hip and was down for several minutes.
Soccer is a physical game.
At several times during the match Goffstown Coach Nick D’Agostino pleaded with the referees for what he saw as play that was too aggressive by Memorial, citing unnamed “dirty fouls.” He saved the worst of his complaining for when Goffstown was up 6-0 and had just scored on a penalty kick, asking for red (game ejection) cards. Memorial’s Torle Adumene was given a yellow warning card shortly after for attempting to play the ball while on the ground, something she also did once in the first half.
According to Memorial Coach Nick Gardner, Coach D’Agostino made the comment, “This is awfully rough for a girls’ game.”
The accusations of too-rough play against the Crusaders were bizarre for two reasons: 1. To this point in the season, Memorial has not played aggressively enough, and 2. The score.
“C’mon coach,” he addressed Gardner down the sideline at one point earlier in the game. “If these girls are too aggressive, it’s because they’re coached that way.”
A call at 18:40 of the first half did not go Memorial’s way. With players from both sides elbowing for position, the Memorial player was called, displeasing Gardner. The resulting free kick was cashed in by Grizzlies forward Katherine Levesque making the score 2-0. Levesque turned a hat trick in the game.
Memorial’s best chance came at the 11:30 mark of the first half when co-captain LaBarge shot over the crossbar.
Grizzlies forward Ariana Girzone concluded the first-half scoring with a hard left foot from a sharp angle at the 2:25 mark.
Memorial showed improvement in positional play.
Memorial hosts Salem Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Chabot-McDonough Field.
