GIRLS SOCCER Daprile's free kick is key to win
Poland scored two second half goals to pull away from Howland in their MAC opener, 3-0.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HOWLAND -- A 30-yard goal on a free kick by Allison Daprile two minutes into Tuesday's game gave the Poland High girls soccer team all it needed in a 3-0 victory over Howland.
"Allison's early goal set the tone for the entire game," Poland coach Jim Sutman said.
Daprile said, "I just put my head down and aimed for the top corner."
The Bulldogs (3-0) added two second-half goals to pull away in their first Metro Athletic Conference game of the season.
"My kick didn't win the game," Daprile said. "We all worked hard. Everything is team-oriented."
At the 26:17 mark of the second half, Maria Mancino took a pass from Natalie Ludt in front of the box and scored Poland's second goal. Brittany Davis scored the final goal from 8 yards out at 10:54.
Davis' goal was her team-high fifth this season.
Overcoming streak: Until Tuesday, the Poland girls hadn't won at Howland in seven seasons, the duration of Sutman's tenure with the program.
"We hadn't won here in a while, and our captains really had our kids fired up," Sutman said.
The Bulldogs' hustle throughout the game showed that.
"That is part of our makeup," Sutman said. "We run all the time; we run for everything."
Howland coach Gary Anderson said the 2001 Poland team is the best he has seen in his eight seasons with the Tigers (3-1, 1-1).
"They totally outplayed us," said Anderson, whose Tigers were a regional semifinalist last season. "They beat us to every ball. It wasn't like we weren't trying, but these Poland kids wanted the game more. They took advantage of our inexperience."
Poland had 15 shots on the Howland goal, with Taryn Carlson taking five. Howland had 10 shots on goal.
Poland goalie Landry Yankle had seven saves while Howland's Darcy Quinlan had six.