2 Wins for Lady Ghosts
By Rachel DiStefano

The Lady Ghosts hosted Oxbow last Wednesday in their home opener. It was a good game for both teams, but Randolph came out with the last-minute 1-0 win. The girls worked hard to score all game but found it difficult to execute.

In the last minute of regulation, just when it looked like the game was headed into over-time, a ball was played in front of Oxbow’s net on a beautiful cross from Emily Howe. The Olympian goalie misplayed the ball, and sophomore Maia Binhammer was able to get her foot on it, scoring with just under a minute to go in the game.

Randolph goalie Sharayah Nonemacher had six saves in the net. It was nice to get a win at home, and it gave the Lady Ghosts high spirits and confidence going into their next games.

U-32 Game

On Friday, the Randolph girls played under the lights at U-32 where they were dealt a very tough loss, giving up one goal and scoring none. The Ghosts dominated in the first half, but the teams went into half-time knotted at 0-0. In the second half it was a different story.

The Gal Ghosts did not maintain their first half intensity and, on the other end, the Raiders came out strong. Although Randolph out-shot their opponent early on, by the end of the game U-32 had many more close opportunities. With just under 16 minutes to go in the second half, U-32 had a corner-kick and the ball was played right in front of the Randolph goal. With numerous players from both teams crowded in the surrounding area, it is unknown as to who actually put it in, but in the end the Raider goal was given to Julia Watson.

Despite the loss, senior captain Brynn Fabian stood out at the stopper position, dominating the mid-field. In addition, sweeper Bridget Harty had a strong game, and Nonemacher had another good performance with eight saves.

Win over Oxbow

The Gal Ghosts played Oxbow for the second time this season, and came up with another win on Tuesday. Offense was not a problem for Randolph in this game, and the defense was strong in their 3-0 shut-out.

Senior captain Howe recorded the first hat trick of her career. Howe, a center mid-fielder, scored all three goals at various times throughout the game. The first goal came from a side-shot on the end-line, to put the Ghosts up 1-0 at half-time.

Coach Viens encouraged his girls to stay hungry for additional goals in the second half. Sophomore Amanda Gerstenmaier assisted the second goal, putting the ball in front of the net, where Howe was able to tap it in. The final goal came from a long and powerful boot that went right over the goalie’s head and into the net.

A part of the Ghosts’ success may also have been from a new line-up, as Coach Viens was trying some of his players at new positions. The Ghosts seemed to adapt quickly to the changes, and the whole team played well. Nonemacher had three saves in the win.

Loss to Mill River

Last Friday, the Randolph Lady Ghosts’ soccer team traveled to Mill River. Although they showed improvement from their first game, the girls were dealt a 3-1 loss.

Randolph came out strong, getting two close shots on goal in the first minutes. Unfortunately, the offense did not find many more opportunities after that initial burst, and were relatively quiet. On the defensive end, the Ghosts had difficulty keeping track of Mill River's star player Courtney Chadburn, who scored twice to bring her career total to 61 goals.

In the second half, Gwen Reis executed a beautiful cornerkick and was able to find the back of the net unassisted. Nonemacher had another extremely good day in goal, with 17 saves for Randolph.

The girls’ record now stands at two wins and three losses. The Lady Ghosts will finish out a busy week when they host North Country today, and Harwood on Saturday.

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