Cronin leads WMA to PVSSL tournament title


(Top) Wilbraham & Monson Academy's Carly Cronin carries the ball in on net prior to scoring the first goal of the game. (Bottom) Wilbraham & Monson Academy's Carly Cronin, right, and Granby's Megan Bachand race for the ball. Reminder Publications photo by Chris Maza

Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

LUDLOW — If this summer is any indication of their capabilities, the Wilbraham & Monson Academy (WMA) girls' soccer team appears primed for a strong run through the upcoming fall season.

Carly Cronin of Feeding Hills netted two goals and assisted a third, earning Most Valuable Player honors as the Titans topped Granby 3-1 in the Pioneer Valley Summer Soccer League B division tournament final on Aug. 4, winning the tourney for the second straight year.

"This definitely excites us as a team," Cronin said of winning the championship. "We feel like we're playing well and soon we're going to start having more captains' practices to keep [the momentum] going. This team doesn't have all of our regular players on it, so we're very excited to see what we can do as a team all together."

The Titans, who also captured the regular season crown with a record of 11-1-0, dictated the pace of the game throughout the majority of the contest and exploited their ability to control the ball on the wings.

"We've been working on moving the ball on the outside to create opportunities for through balls and break [Granby] down," Cronin said.

Head Coach James Natario explained that by working the ball to the outside, the Titans have been able to maximize their scoring chances.

"With the way our offense works, when you get the ball to the outside, the defense has to be cognizant of that and it spreads them out," he said.

That strategy directly led to two of the Titans' goals, both in the second half, which gave WMA some breathing room.

In the 38th minute, less than three minutes into the second half, Emily Zeno worked down the wing, then delivered a through ball to Cronin in the middle of the box that she fired into the back of the net to give the Titans a 2-0 lead.

"During the break, we talked a lot about continuing to spread out their defense and work the ball to the outside and one of the first things they did in the second half was exactly that," Natario said.

Later, after Granby's Rachel Mick scored on an assist from Alexis Oulette, Cronin set up a goal by Molly Socha, carrying the ball up the right side, then delivering the ball through the box.Veronica Bernardo nearly scored the goal with a header, but just missed connecting. However, Socha was in perfect position at the far post and one-timed the ball into the net for a 3-1 cushion.

Prior to Socha's goal, Alyssa Natario, normally a midfielder, filled in at goalkeeper and made a key save late in the game to keep the score at 2-1.

"Our normal goalkeeper is up at the University of New England this weekend, so Alyssa, who is my daughter, volunteered to fill in for us," Natario said. "She did a nice job and that was a big save."

Natario said he saw great potential in the Titans as they gear up for what could be a very special season after a successful 14-3-0 run last year that landed WMA in first place in Women's Western New England Prep School Soccer Association league standings for the first time in school history.

Among those expected to lead the squad are Cronin, who has garnered interest from NCAA Division I schools, Molly Moran, who, according to Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications for Student Affairs Bill Wells, could play in Division I or a well-regarded Division III program, and Christina Wakefield, who committed to Boston University earlier this summer.

However, depth, not star power alone, is expected to be the Titans' biggest strength.

"[WMA regular-season head coach Don Nicholson] had a very good recruiting class that are now becoming seniors and another good class that are now becoming sophomores," Natario said. "They have a great mix of experience and youth. They all play very smart, but more importantly, they believe in each other and work together."

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