Montgomery (1-0)

Choosing to shoot from a distance most U13 girls would only pass from, Brittany Biondi made the difference in an otherwise evenly played game between the Scotch Plains Lightning U13 Girls soccer team and the Montgomery Charge Sunday at the Lightning's home field Wardlaw Hartridge School. Her high,looping shot from about 40 yards midway throught the first half was mishandled by the Montgomery goalie and tapped in by an alert Cheryl Monteiro to give the Lightning the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory. Both teams are now 2-1 and played a generally even contest. The difference turned out to be goalkeeping as the Lightning duo of Rachel Parker and Jaclyn Lazarus, aided by the ubiquitous fullback Alyssa Straniero , made no mistakes. "We played a very good game. We made a lot of nice passes out there, " said coach Luis Rodriguez, obviously relieved that the goal held up. Parker left the goal in the second half to provide several exciting long runs down the right wing that almost resulted in the second goal. Lazarus joined Straniero, Javonni Costello, and Maria Rivero to provide a tough defensive wall in front of Parker in the first half,aided immeasurably by the solid midfield play of Kristen Thompson, Cathy Harley,Biondi, Nina Brownstone ,Jessica Nagourney,Rachel Kreyer and Heather Rodriguez. Parker has not surrendered a goal in six games this season. In addition to Monteiro, Joanna Naugle and Angelica Glover were creative in their passing and dribbling and kept the pressure on Montgomery. The Lightning meet South Plainfield this Sunday at 1 pm at Wardlaw Hartridge School.