DRYDEN –– The Dryden girls soccer team controlled the pace of the game, shut down the Marathon offense and scored a goal in each half to win 2-0 Thursday night at Dryden High School.
Dryden’s first goal came from Dalia Bosworth, who netted the first goal of her career 19:09 into the first half. The Lions’ second goal came off a corner kick from McKenna Crocker to Emma Lobdell, who headed it in just 4:40 into the second half to put her team up two.
Lobdell has been moving around the field dealing with an injury, but she continues to find the box score with goals. Though playing up front isn’t familiar to Lobdell, she has shown she can contribute anywhere on the pitch.
“I’ve been playing up top more dealing with an injury so I’m not running as much,” Lobdell said. “Last year I played center back, then moved to midfield and while I deal with this injury I’ll play up. I enjoy it and getting me up there has gotten me experience and some shooting that I haven’t gotten in the past.”
Dryden outshot Marathon 19-3 and remained composed with the ball in their attacking third of the field for a majority of the contest. The Olympians had some quality looks late in the second half with a free kick from Anna Hoyt followed by back-to-back corners, but were unable to convert. Marissa Allen nearly slipped a shot past Lions’ keeper Danielle Warwick with 10 minutes left, but she held on to keep them off the scoreboard.
Nicole Morrow and Ella Blomfield-Brown were a brick wall for Dryden at the center back position. The duo made sure to hold off Marathon anytime it looked to advance the ball up field. Lions’ head coach Janine Bennett spoke highly of the two, who have been a big part to the team’s success and holding teams’ offenses at bay throughout the season.
“I have two center backs who love to be back there,” Bennett said. “We started moving Nicole to the back more at the end of last year and she just sees the game very well as a back. She understands the game, she’s a really great and positive leader and she impacts the players back there. Ella we didn’t have last year because she studied abroad. Her coming back this year has been a big help to us with senior leadership.”
Dryden moves to 6-3 with Thursday’s win and it has won four games in a row while outscoring teams 23-2. The Lions are clicking right now, but still believe they have some room to grow.
“We’re a little impulsive still and can be a little immature in the game because we have some players who are new to the game of soccer,” Bennett said. “Tonight we did a good job of moving the ball though which we’ve been focusing on.”
“We have some younger players, but we are a lot more positive from last year and we’ve been able to work together better from that,” Lobdell added.
Dryden will look to win its fifth straight game at 5:15 p.m. Monday at home against Unatego. Marathon’s next game is at 7 p.m. Monday at Cortland.
