WILLIAMSTOWN - Opening its soccer season Thursday afternoon, Williamstown notched a 4-1 win over visiting Parkersburg Catholic as seniors Jarric Hoskins and Evan Fowler each tallied two goals for the Yellowjackets.
The 0-2 Crusaders' lone goal was scored by junior Rachel Tennant five minutes into the second half to cut a 2-0 Williamstown halftime lead in half before goals by Fowler and Hoskins in the 14th and 22nd minute, respectively, upped the final margin to 4-1.
PC freshman goalie Matt McCarthy had to make a number of close-in stops in the first 10 minutes of the match to keep it scoreless until Hoskins broke the ice in the 26th minute, getting open in front of the net to put in a shot from 15 to 20 yards out past a diving McCarthy off an assist from Josh Walters.
Article Photos
JEFF BAUGHAN Special to The Times
Williamstown’s Gearick Watt, center, heads the ball away from teammate Matt Zlatkind, left, and Parkersburg Catholic’s Peter Keiser. Williamstown won 4-1.
Fowler made it 2-0 in the 39th minute when Mitch Goertler's corner throw-in to the front of the goal was batted back outside, and Fowler drilled the ball into the top left corner of the net.
Tennant, though, narrowed the gap to 2-1 in the fifth minute of the second half, knocking the ball in from just to the left of the goal out front with an assist from Peter Keiser.
Keiser then had a shot on goal glance off the top of the crossbar in the 12th minute. But two minutes later, the 'Jackets made the count 3-1 as a free kick from the side by Hoskins was headed into the net by Fowler.
Williamstown goalie Garret Butler skied for a leaping save in the 16th minute, and Hoskins tacked on his second goal of the match on a ricochet shot off Catholic defender Jake Wilikinson into the lower right corner of the net.
McCarthy made a save right in front of the net in the 24th minute, but was kicked on the play and was replaced by Tully-Lynch Pastoor, who had seven saves in the final 16 minutes.
''I was happy with our effort and the end result,'' said Williamstown head coach Mike Albertson. ''Being our first game, I tried some different combinations out there, and we seemed to get a little more cohesive in the second half. I think Catholic outpossessed us, but we were able to get some long balls and use our strengths to our advantage.''
Williamstown was 13-6-1 last season and despite losing 11 seniors to graduation, Albertson feels ''very confident we can do as good or better than last year.''
First-year Catholic head coach Shane Hartshorn admitted ''it was a little rough out there for us today. But we haven't been together very long. We didn't get any practice (during the three-week coaching period) in June at all because I wasn't hired until July, so we're behind everybody else.
''We moved the ball well in the first half today, but then we got tired since not having conditioning hurt us a little bit.
''Williamstown played a good game. They're a little stronger and faster than us right now, but our kids didn't quit. When about half your kids have never played soccer before, it's a challenge, but they're living up to it, doing pretty well and holding their own.''
Williamstown 4,
Parkersburg Catholic 1
Parkersburg Catholic (0-2) 0 1 - 1
Williamstown (1-0) 2 2 - 4
W-Jarric Hoskins goal; Josh Walters assist (26th minute, 1st Half)
W-Evan Fowler goal; Mitchell Goertler assist (39th minute, 1st Half)
PC-Rachel Tennant goal; Peter Keiser assist (5th minute, 2nd half)
W-Fowler goal; Hoskins assist (14th minute, 2nd Half)
W-Hoskins goal, Joe Buckley assist (22nd minute, 2nd Half)
Shots on Goal: W-17; PC-3
Keeper Saves: W-2 (Garret Butler); PC-13 (Matt McCarthy and Tully Lynch-Pastoor)
Corner Kicks: W-5; PC-0
