Thetford
That was again the case during much of No. 2 Thetford’s 1-0 win over third-ranked Peoples Academy in Wednesday’s VPA Division III semifinal at home, although Robinson was called on late for several impressive saves to help the Panthers (14-2) advance to Saturday’s 11 a.m. final at Bellows Falls Union High.
The Panthers will take on top-ranked and unbeaten Green Mountain after the Chieftains (17-0) took care of No. 12 Vergennes in Wednesday’s other semi, 3-0.
Thetford largely dominated the run of play against Peoples (13-4) and scored in the fifth minute when Casey MacVeagh knocked in the carom of twin sister Lily MacVeagh’s crossing pass that first deflected off Wolves keeper Paige Pierce (four saves).
Peoples finally applied pressure during the final 15 minutes, sending in close-range shots primarily from the wings. Robinson’s two best saves came against sophomore forward Jessica Colbeth, the first with 6:30 remaining when Robinson slid to deny Colbeth’s bid from the left. With 3:20 to go, Robinson lunged skyward to gobble up a strong chance from the right and keep it 1-0.
“I learned pretty early that to be a good goalie, you can’t be afraid to leave your feet,” said Robinson, who filled in for an injured teammate in 2015 before becoming the No. 1 netminder last year. “You’ve got to keep the higher balls in front of you, so jumping up for them is definitely something that I’ve worked on.”
Chomping at the bit for some action, Robinson charged to stymie several Wolves’ possessions in the latter part of the second half.
“I’m a really aggressive basketball player, so I think it just kind of carries over to soccer,” she said. “I used to play mostly defense, but some midfield. I’d say the biggest thing I miss about playing in the field is just the running around and always being involved, so I definitely go for the ball when I can.”
Robinson made four saves in Thetford’s third straight playoff shutout and 15th clean sheet since she took over full-time prior to last season, the first led by coach Dave Williams.
“She’s been our anchor for two years,” Williams said. “We love having her back there. She made some really big saves against Leland & Gray (in Friday’s 3-0 quarterfinal win) and had another couple really big saves today when we needed it.”
In a rematch of Thetford’s 4-1, late-September win over Peoples in Morrisville, Vt., the Panthers were aware to key on athletic center midfielder Lily Metzler. Capable of accurate, long-range blasts, she launched a couple at Robinson early but was largely neutralized after being moved to central defense partway through the first half.
The move by 18th-year Wolves coach Jim Eisenhardt helped diminish Thetford’s scoring chances but didn’t do many favors for Peoples’ scoring prospects.
“It forced us to try and play in transition, which isn’t normally how we try to attack,” Eisenhardt said. “We felt it was the right move because we couldn’t get the ball out of our end. Especially in the first five minutes, we were flat-footed, and they made us pay.”
The Panthers scored on their second shot of the game, when Lily MacVeagh’s cross from the left met the shin of Pierce and deflected to Casey MacVeagh. MacVeagh used a brief moment to dial in before beating Pierce to the right.
“We knew the first goal was going to be big in this kind of game,” said Casey MacVeagh, whose strike was her team-leading 20th goal this season.
“Peoples has a good goalie and plays really hard, so the first goal is always going to be huge when you face them.”
Play shifted more to the midfield after Metzler’s switch to the back, with Thetford defenders holding steady in their own end. The Panthers’ Brooke Horniak appeared to have a breakaway set up in the 28th minute on a pass from Lily MacVeagh, but she was deemed a step offside.
In the 52nd minute, Arwen Clayton set up Lily MacVeagh for a chance in space that she pushed wide left of the net.
Metzler sent a direct kick into a Thetford wall with 25 minutes to go, and Peoples continued to threaten with Colbeth’s bids.
“They were desperate to win the game, just like we were,” Casey MacVeagh said. “We knew they would keep playing hard.”
Free Kicks: Thetford improved to 1-5 all-time against Peoples in the postseason in the teams’ first playoff meeting since the Wolves’ 4-1 win in the 2013 final. … The Panthers led 7-6 in shots and 5-2 in corner kicks. … Ted MacVeagh, father of the MacVeagh twins and a novelist, said neither of the works he’s currently engaged in are soccer-related. Published in 2016, MacVeagh’s The Blue Marauders chronicled the fictional season of a club soccer team in a town loosely resembling Thetford. … The Panthers haven’t faced Green Mountain in the postseason since the first round 20 years ago. … Several Chieftains players are teammates with Thetford players on the Norwich-based Lightning Soccer Club, Ted MacVeagh noted. … Panthers senior defender Hannah Davis left the game in the 49th minute due to a medical condition she said makes it difficult for her body to process carbon dioxide and can be triggered by contact on the field.
Jared Pendak can be reached at jpendak@vnews.com or 603-727-3225.