Panthers bounce back

The Johnston girls soccer team bounced back after suffering its first loss of the season to shut out host Mt. Pleasant 2-0 last week.

The Panthers would get a goal in each half, with Kaylee Poole scoring first and Ariana Medeiros scoring second to pace Johnston. 

“It was a great response by the girls. They were definitely upset because it was the first loss to our record, they were hoping to bounce back and take out their frustration on this team today,” said Johnston coach Toni Scavitti after the win.

Although the Panthers walked away with just two goals, they pressured Mt. Pleasant from start to finish and racked up 21 shots on goal. Leading scorer Alexia DiLorenzo led the team with a whopping seven shots on goal while Poole had four.

Johnston keeper Ava Waterman recorded one save in net.

“I was definitely thrilled (with the offensive pressure),” Scavitti said.

The Panther defense has also been elite, notching nine shutouts in 14 contests this season and allowing just eight goals overall, with four coming in a non-league matchup earlier in the fall.

The team looks to play good defense from back to front.

“It’s a combination of both. We try to take control and on offense and when we can’t, we have strong defenders that do a good job of clearing the zone and getting the ball back out to Ava,” aid Scavitti. 

The Panthers improved to 5-1 in league play and have five more contests remaining. The final games will be critical for Johnston, as it maintains a one-point lead over Rogers for first place in the division. The two teams split their meetings this fall.

“They’re crucial. If we are going to get the top seed then we are going to have to come out on top and win the remainder of our games,” said Scavitti. “It’s official that we’ve made playoffs, so now it’s down to where we get seeded.”