East Brunswick (1-2)

The calendar said autumn but the weather was most summer like and the result was most unlightning like.
After storming through the summer portion of their schedule with five straight victories the Scotch Plains Lightning U13 girls intercity soccer team began the autumn stretch of their season with a tough 2-1 loss to the Central Jersey Tidalwave at East Bruswick VoTech School on Sunday,Sept 22..

Coach Luis Rodriguez was generally pleased with the team’s effort. “It was an even game that could have gone either way. We could have given up but we fought hard until the end. I was proud of them”, said Rodriguez.

Despite missing two key players,Nina Smallwood and Katie Cornacchia, the Lightning were able to strike first for the sixth straight game. After shutting down the TidalWave through a scoreless first half ,goalie Rachel Parker emerged as an offensive force in the second half and converted a perfect cross from Angelica Glover to make it 1-0.

The lead was short lived as the Tidal Wave were given a penalty kick on a controversial hand ball that didn’t appear to go near the Lightning defender’s hands. After converting to tie the game the teams settled into an even tussle with the Lightning outshooting the home team 8-7. Central Jersey made one of their chances count by converting another free kick into the second goal.

The short handed Lightning came close on several occasions down the stretch as they bravely fought off the effects of the stifling heat but could not get the equalizer and will have to look to get their season turned back in the right direction with a home game next Sunday at the Wardlaw Hartridge School against the tough Montgomery Charge. Game time is high noon.