The Bristol Eastern Girls Soccer team lost a close match to Berlin Monday night, 4-3, in a contest in which each team took turns seizing the momentum. Unfortunately for the Lancers, Berlin had the answers for much of the second half, and Eastern, in spite of a three goal effort by Ciara Collins, dropped to 0-2 for the early season.
In the first half at Sage Park, the Redcoats jumped off to a 1-0 lead at the 28 minute mark, as Kylie Jefferson popped one in the Eastern net off a corner kick.
The Lancers came right back 5 minutes later. Ciara Collins scored her first goal off a great combination in the middle. Bella Sanchez set up the shot with a great final pass, and Collins did not miss.
Then at the 38 minute mark, Collins scored on a header off a corner kick from Emily Nelson, to give Eastern a 2-1 lead.
The Lancers turned back all Berlin attacks the rest of the half, and Eastern went into intermission with lead.
The second half belonged to Berlin as they scored three unanswered goals to totally turn the contest around.
At the 54 minute mark, Claire McGeever converted on a penalty kick to tie the game at 2.
Ten minutes later, the Redcoats seized the lead for good as Alyssa O’Leary scored on a breakaway.
Berlin’s Julina Salina added some insurance with the team’s fourth goal at the 73 minute mark.
Down 2 goals, the Lancers kept fighting, and at 76 minutes, Collins finished her hat trick off another corner from Emily Nelson.
The Lancers are now 0-2 on the year, and will travel to E.O. Smith on Friday.