Mutiny Pluck Stingers

Explode for Four Goals in Second Frame

May 20, 2008

FALL RIVER, Mass. -- The New England Mutiny defeated the Massachsuetts Stingers 5-1 behind two goals from Mary-Frances Monroe.

The Stingers were determined to erase a forgettable performance a week earlier against SoccerPlus Connecticut, however it was the Mutiny who was buzzing around the field in first 20 minutes of this match.

The Mutiny's Jenny Maurer was involved in the play all day.

The Mutiny threatened early and often and finally got on the board in the 11th minute when Monroe stripped a Stingers’ player at midfield and slotted a perfect through ball to the onrushing Erin Clark. Clark would notch her first of the season after sliding it past Stingers’ keeper Krystal Robbens.

The Mutiny would string a few passes together in the 23rd minute as Jenny Maurer sent Clark down the right flank. Clark sent the ball across to a sliding Monroe, but the shot glanced off the post. The Stingers, which fielded a completely revamped line-up than the first contest a week earlier, equalized in the 31st minute on a blast from Lyndsay Cunningham from just outside the area. The teams went into halftime tied 1-1.

It was in the 50th minute that Monroe would find herself in a play that would change the tide of this match as she was taken down hard from behind on a tackle by Kristina Cardoso. It would be Cardoso’s second yellow which led to her ejection. Monroe laid on the Durfee High School turf for several minutes, but in the 54th minute showed that she was just fine blasting a shot by Robbens to make it 2-1.

Down a player, the Stingers did not provide much resistance in the balance of the second half. Monroe would send a ball deep into the defense in the 65th minute where forward Erin Gatto would capitalize on a Stingers’ defensive miscue. Gatto clinically finished the breakaway and the Mutiny led 3-1.

In the 88th minute, 17 year-old Danielle Dakin of Wilbraham, MA sent a through ball to 18 year-old Karen Gurnon. The Connecticut State High School Player of the Year fired it for her first goal in her first ever match with New England. Gurnon would get on the score sheet again in the 89th minute with the Mutiny’s prettiest goal of the match. The Tolland H.S. product crossed the ball into the area where Monroe found a head on it into the goal for the final margin 5-1.

The Mutiny will enjoy the holiday weekend next week before travelling to the Maine Tide on Saturday, May 31. The Tide lost their first ever WPSL match on Saturday, losing 2-0 to Connecticut.

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