The Glengarry Hearts U12 Girls were back on the field Monday night in Cornwall to take on the Seaway Valley Blazers. The Hearts were coming off an impressive 4-0 win over the Ottawa Internationals in their first match of the season and looked to build on that success.
The team’s defensive line was back at full strength as central defender Harper Albright returned from a broken arm.
The Hearts started the game strong. Forward Haley Jackson was taken down inside the penalty area setting the stage for Eileen MacCuaig to step up and take her first penalty shot of the season. She made no mistake as she blasted the ball past the Blazer keeper for a 1-0 lead. Minutes later Jackson danced into the box with the ball and beat the keeper on the far side to make it 2-0.
The Blazers got credited with their first of the game on a questionable play. Their shot fooled Hearts keeper Ram Pilon hitting the post before Pilon dove on the ball which may or may not have crossed the line. The referee who was standing at half signaled a goal much to the dismay of the Glengarry fans.
The Hearts took a 2-1 lead into halftime. The Blazers tied up the game early in the second half. This was the first adversity the Hearts had faced all year. It was time for the veteran Hearts players to take control of the game.
Star midfielder Kara Fraser scored her first of the night on a far side shot which went top corner. She would add a second goal a few minutes later as she picked a beautiful corner kick out of the air from Eileen MacCuaig. Haley Jackson added her second of the game off a rebound from a Tessa St-Louis shot. St-Louis also set up the final goal of the game as she spun off her defender and put a perfectly placed through ball to put Alysia Beaulne in alone with the keeper.
The final score was 6-2 Hearts. The team takes on West Carleton next Monday night at home in Lochiel. They then travel to Ottawa on Wednesday evening to take on league powerhouse Ottawa City.
