Rockets blank Hornets for 2nd consecutive day

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RICHMOND – For the second consecutive day, Richmond-Burton’s girls soccer team took care of business against Harvard.

The Rockets coasted to a 9-0 Big Northern Conference East Division win against the Hornets on Thursday to complete a season sweep. R-B also downed Harvard on the road, 2-0, on Wednesday.

“I think today we were finishing better and controlling the ball more than yesterday,” said R-B sophomore Courtney Kaminscky, who scored on a breakaway and a header. “Our footwork early in the season has needed some work, so we’ve spent extra time working on that in practice. It’s gotten better the past few games.”

Harvard goalkeeper Patience Esunis stopped the first four shots she faced, but the Rockets (9-6-2 overall, 4-3-1 BNC East) broke through with 17:23 to play in the first half. A blast from midfielder Kendall Winkler – on a centering pass from Maggie Koren – found its way past Esunis.

The Rockets added five more goals to take a 6-0 lead by halftime, and Koren’s goal two minutes into the second half started a running clock the rest of the way. The Rockets outshot the Hornets, 16-1, and are 4-0-1 in their past five games.

“Ever since we started playing some tougher teams, starting in the Lakes tournament, the girls have really improved their play,” R-B coach Chris Wagner said. “I think the thing I was most pleased with in this game is the way we worked together, and how we finished our chances. We took advantage of the situations we had at opportune times.”

Senior co-captain and midfielder Abby Kargul finished with a goal and an assist, and credited Wagner for the team’s success.

“We’ve definitely stepped it up a notch,” Kargul said. “And a big part of that has to do with coach [Wagner]. In practice, there’s been a lot of emphasis on our footwork and working on different things that have allowed us to become better as a team and as a group. He deserves a lot of credit for that.” 

It was senior night for the Rockets, and soon-to-be graduate and starting goalkeeper Rachael Johnson combined with sophomore Annie Campbell to notch the team’s second consecutive shutout.  

Harvard (8-10-1, 2-8) remains in fifth place in the BNC East.