Berkshire vs. West Branch girls soccer: Badgers dig deep defensively to salvage 2

Even the most diehard home partisan Aug. 28 would have to admit the Berkshire girls had to spend most of their match with a potent visiting side in West Branch stationed in the defensive third.

It was going to require an 80 as unwavering as the Burton water tower in the distance for the Badgers to have something to show for the evening.

It took some doing, but they got there.

Alyssa Lawson converted a penalty kick in the 78th minute, affording Berkshire the chance to emerge with a 2-2 draw against the always-formidable Warriors and get to 2-1-1 on the season.

#NHsoccer Berkshire equalizer on an Alyssa Lawson PK 78th min2-2 match pic.twitter.com/JvySBXuD14

— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) August 29, 2023

Badgers senior goalkeeper Sarah Wendl and a youthful back four in front of her, consisting of freshmen Kit Wadsworth, Clair Corbett and Ivy Martin and sophomore Alie Ruchalski, were laudable in their organization and workrate.

West Branch (3-0-2) enjoyed a 12-2 shots on target advantage and controlled the match in the attack.

Nonetheless, the hosts came away with a proverbial point, a pleasing sight for Berkshire coach Ian Patterson.

“Very young on the backline against a talented group,” Patterson said. “They have eight or nine seniors on their roster and a bunch of them coming back from that regional-qualifying team, so a very talented group. I’m very pleased with the way our defense played and keeper as well.

“We’ve had a good, tough schedule to start the season, and we’ve a really good job of trying to get in the film room, just really break down film and help these younger girls understand where they should be positioning-wise, when to step and when to drop — things like that, and they’ve been like sponges. They take the information and actually run with it, which is really great to see.”

The Badgers did not record a shot on target in the opening 40, and counter action even past midfield was limited at best. But they had a 1-0 lead at halftime after an own goal in the 11th minute.

Wendl kept her back four organized and had some solid turnaways in a 10-save performance, including on Chloe Dennison in the 22nd and the 43rd. The latter was a sitter from the middle of the box after an Aubrianna Thomas cross from the right flank.

“I think it shows that our defense is really putting in the effort and work, and they’re really pushing themselves to improve so that we can battle against these really good teams and hold our line,” Wendl said.

“I think our communication has a lot to play with (our organization). Being able for our outsides to communicate with our middles, when to switch and when to drop back, that really plays a huge role.”

The Warriors got their equalizer in the 55th minute, when Dennison threaded a pacey through ball for commanding center mid Sophia Gregory, who took care of the finish to make it a 1-1 match.

West Branch went up, 2-1, on a penalty kick in the 71st.

To the Badgers’ credit, though, they kept looking for a counter ball, particularly into Evania McCandless. The standout senior attacker, who had been denied a PK in the 69th on a disputed slide tackle and had a bar rattler on the counter in the 68th, drew contact again in the 78th and got a call on the second go-round.

#NHsoccer Genuinely curious what you guys think This was not deemed a PKLook, in a 2 ref system vs standard 3, they're in an impossible position & I don't envy it at allI have enormous respect for those who continue amid a thankless taskBut man, I lean PK here 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/Jqwub392jG

— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) August 29, 2023

Lawson stepped to the spot and powered home the PK, her first goal of 2023 and 15th of her career, to grab a positive result for her side.

The circumstances, remaining unwavering amid hazard conditions in the defensive third against a potent side, should serve Berkshire well moving forward.

“I think that this game really helps us,” Wendl said. “It shows that we can hang with these quality teams, and we’ll be able to fight and really push it against teams even better than this and work hard.”

Berkshire 2, West Branch 2

#NHsoccer My postmatch video analysis of Berkshire's 2-2 draw with West Branch(Match story coming along shortly) pic.twitter.com/hLkP91rmyv

— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) August 29, 2023