2008 Woodie Awards
Women's Soccer: Patry sparks struggling offense
Adam Miller, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: Sports
For the last two games, the Massachusetts women's soccer team wondered how it would replace the offensive firepower of forwards Britt Canfield and Sydney Stoll.
If the first half is any indication for how the Minutewomen (0-1-2) will answer that question, they may have just found that answer in Vanessa Patry. The senior forward scored both goals in Thursday's 2-2 tie against New Hampshire.
"We had great balls through from the midfield so I just did what I have to do," Patry said after the game.
Patry wasted no time putting UMass on the board, 1-0, after converting on a first career assist from defender Katie Ruggles. Patry received the deep pass before shooting the ball in the upper right-hand corner 6 minutes, 51 seconds into the game.
Patry scored her second goal 31:17 into the first half on a pass from freshman Meghan Collins inside the left post. The last time Patry scored two goals was almost two years to the day on September 3, 2006 when she scored two goals in UMass' win against Iona.
"I was just so happy that we were getting chances at goals," UMass coach Jim Rudy said. "I didn't really realize it until later, and she got two nice goals in there."
Patry is currently three goals away from reaching her career high for single-season goals. She scored four goals in each of the last two seasons.
But even when Patry wasn't scoring, she seemed to have her hand in almost every play, allowing the Minutewomen to stay aggressive. UMass took more shots (24) in the game than its first two games combined (12).
17 of the shots came in the first half.
"I think it's time," Rudy said, referring to the scoring chances. "We're maturing and I think we are going to be pretty good, but these things take time."
UMass has worked on implementing a more aggressive strategy this week and put what it worked on in practice during the game.
"We've really been concentrating on finding the through ball in practice so I really think we're bringing what we do in practice to the games," Patry said.
If the first half is any indication for how the Minutewomen (0-1-2) will answer that question, they may have just found that answer in Vanessa Patry. The senior forward scored both goals in Thursday's 2-2 tie against New Hampshire.
"We had great balls through from the midfield so I just did what I have to do," Patry said after the game.
Patry wasted no time putting UMass on the board, 1-0, after converting on a first career assist from defender Katie Ruggles. Patry received the deep pass before shooting the ball in the upper right-hand corner 6 minutes, 51 seconds into the game.
Patry scored her second goal 31:17 into the first half on a pass from freshman Meghan Collins inside the left post. The last time Patry scored two goals was almost two years to the day on September 3, 2006 when she scored two goals in UMass' win against Iona.
"I was just so happy that we were getting chances at goals," UMass coach Jim Rudy said. "I didn't really realize it until later, and she got two nice goals in there."
Patry is currently three goals away from reaching her career high for single-season goals. She scored four goals in each of the last two seasons.
But even when Patry wasn't scoring, she seemed to have her hand in almost every play, allowing the Minutewomen to stay aggressive. UMass took more shots (24) in the game than its first two games combined (12).
17 of the shots came in the first half.
"I think it's time," Rudy said, referring to the scoring chances. "We're maturing and I think we are going to be pretty good, but these things take time."
UMass has worked on implementing a more aggressive strategy this week and put what it worked on in practice during the game.
"We've really been concentrating on finding the through ball in practice so I really think we're bringing what we do in practice to the games," Patry said.
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