MILLTOWN — After a scoreless first half, the Saint Mark’s soccer team turned up the pressure on Delaware Military Academy in the second half, and the Spartans finished with a 2-1 victory in a battle of Division II girls soccer contenders.
Katie Lennon got the Spartans on the board early in the second half, with an assist to Emma Manley. Saint Mark’s just turned up the pressure from there as they sought an insurance goal.
The Spartans kept Seahawks goalkeeper Jennifer Klumpp busy throughout the half. Klumpp stopped shots in both the 42nd, 44th and 45th minutes, and a cross by Kayleigh Brady into the 6-yard box was cleared by the DMA defense. Klumpp upped her game after a Saint Mark’s corner kick in the 48th, with two point-blank saves that kept the margin at one goal.
Finally, the Spartans got their second goal. After a flurry of activity in the 18-yard box, Brady sent a 25-yard shot where Klumpp could not get to it — in the narrow space above the keeper’s hands and below the crossbar.
Saint Mark’s nearly added a third goal near the end of the contest, but a shot rang off the crossbar. The Seahawks managed to get some pressure, and in the final 30 seconds, Ashley Hughes raced down the right side of the pitch and fired a sharp-angled shot to the far post to cut the lead in half. But DMA did not have enough time to chase the equalizer.
The Spartans outshot the Seahawks, 14-4, and had a 5-0 edge in corner kicks. Goalkeeper Marissa Cirillo had three saves. Saint Mark’s (3-0) hosts MOT Charter on Friday at 3:45 p.m.
Klumpp finished with 11 saves. DMA fell to 2-1 and is back in action Thursday at Wilmington Friends at 3:30 p.m.
All photos by Mike Lang.
