By RYAN WALKER
The Norwell girls’ soccer team took down the likely ACAC conference champion Heritage 5-1 at home Wednesday night.
With the win, the Knights improved to a 10-3-1 record with just two matches to go in the regular season. It came against the top team in the ACAC with the Patriots boasting a 10-1 record entering the match and halting their 10-game win streak.
Head coach Dan Batdorff thought the offense had a great night attacking the ball with swift passes to get through the defense. On the defensive side, he wasn’t as happy with the chances Heritage got throughout the night, making mistakes and not clearing the ball out quickly enough.
“I thought we did some really good things,” Datdorff said after the match. “I was disappointed that we made a lot of dumb mistakes. But overall, I think we’re coming together in a lot of ways. I thought our defense gave way too much tonight — Too many opportunities.”
Luckily for Norwell, goalie Gracie Rinkenberger erased the mishaps with only one goal allowed. The goal was a one-on-one penalty kick against the Patriots’ top scorer Nin Way, who notched her 28th of the season. The ball hit the top and side crossbar before crossing the goalline in a perfect spot.
Rinkenberger has been an anchor for Batdorff’s defense, especially down the stretch in her senior year. In the last five games, she’s allowed two goals and 1.07 goals for the season.
Batdorff had high praises for his netminder. He mentioned her on-the-field skill but also her leadership and ability to get her team fired up, just as she did when making two incredible saves at DeKalb on Monday.
“Gracie brings it every night,” Batdorff said. “Gracie doesn’t have an off night. The game at DeKalb the other night, to watch her in the shootout, blocking two amazing first two shots. It just gave us that momentum, and ended up winning the game. But that’s Gracie every night.”
On offense, the Knights were led by Makenzie Fuess’ hat trick, thanks to some solid passing by Grace Mann for two assists.
At the start of the second half, Mann took the initial kick and sent it to Fuess, who dribbled down the field and scored 15 seconds in.
About three minutes later, Fuess added another goal with Mann passing to her on a through ball past the Heritage defense.
With the two combining for five points, it’s evident there’s a special connection between the two.
“I mean, you saw Grace and Makenzie put on the show they can do,” Batdorff said. “To start the second half, dribbling right through the entire team and making give-and-go passes. It’s stuff that we’ve been working on, and they’ve really come together on.”
The two are neck-and-neck in the scoring title, sitting at 17 goals each. Batdorff said they connect well with one another on the field, but he thinks something’s brewing down the stretch.
“They support each other, for the most part,” Batdorff said. “I mean, you see, going up and down there I think they both want to win that scoring title.”
Mann had two goals on her own to round out the scoring.
Norwell will host Huntington North at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 25.
sports@news-banner.com
