Breakers Unable to Find Finish Against FCKC

Boston dropped points at home again, this time in an entirely winnable game.

That has been something of a trend this season. Boston makes all the right moves except in one area on the field, whether it's passing or movement off the ball or finishing. They correct that deficiency, but then have trouble in another area the next game. "Coaching this team is like going to sleep on a cold New England night with a small blanket," said head coach Tom Durkin. "If I cover my head, my feet are cold, and if I cover my feet, my head is cold. I need to get a bigger blanket."

In this game the main problem was finishing. Boston's defense didn't necessarily cover itself in glory, but if the Breakers had finished half their chances they would have had considerably more than the two goals they came away with. "We scored and then created so many chances in the first half that I think if we would have put some of those away it would have been a completely different game," said Morgan Marlborough.

Marlborough had her chances, as did Kristie Mewis, Stephanie McCaffrey, Rachel Wood, and call-up Rachel Houle. Houle had a perfect chance to take the lead off a one-on-one with FCKC goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland. Houle tried to touch the ball around Rowland and lost it. Shea Groom put FCKC up instead eight minutes later with space to run onto a ball into the box and a shot that dinged in off the near post. FCKC's other two goals came from Erika Tymrak, who both times ran into the box and pounced on a loose ball.

Boston's attack was there, pushed up through the efforts of Mewis or Maddy Evans or through good interplay along the flanks, but the final ingredient was lacking. Marlborough's early header and Mewis' perfectly placed low shot weren't quite enough for three points.

When Boston managed to go forward, they looked good, but when asked to absorb the FCKC attack, they seemed to be unsure of themselves, with the previously tight defense getting disjointed. On FCKC's second and third goal, Breakers right back Lauren Lazo got caught trailing an FCKC player, leaving Julie King and Kassey Kallman shorthanded.

"We're still working on managing the swings in the momentum, the moments in the game after goals are scored by either team," said Durkin. He also mentioned that Australian international Kyah Simon was due to arrive on Monday and could possibly get a full week of training with the team before they face the Chicago Red Stars on July 18. Simon might be the chess piece the Breakers need to open up games, especially if the defense is struggling.

Marlborough pointed out how crucial it was to fix the team's mistakes as they prepare to leave for an away game. "We're always trying to go for that win because we're sitting at the bottom right now and we're about to go away and we play better at home," she said.

Boston is 3-6-2 on the season in eighth place, though still four points up on last place team Sky Blue FC. They next face first-place team Chicago Red Stars away on July 18.

Lineups

BOS: Jami Kranich, Lauren Lazo, Julie King, Kassey Kallman (C), Mollie Pathman, Amy Barczuk, Katie Schoepfer (Bia, 51), Kristie Mewis, Maddy Evans, Stephanie McCaffrey (Riley Houle, 71), Morgan Marlborough (Rachel Wood, 60)

Subs not used: Che Brown, Stephanie Verdoia, Suzane Pires

FCKC: Katelyn Rowland, Amy LePeilbet, Jen Buczkowski, Leigh Ann Robinson, Rebecca Moros, Yael Averbuch, Frances Silva, Shea Groom (Meghan Lisenby, 83), Caroline Kastor (Sarah Hagen, 55), Mandy Laddish, Erika Tymrak (Liz Bogus, 91+)

Subs not used: Nicole Barnhart, Kaysie Clark