Loss to Breakers makes Mutiny’s next match a must-win

Date: 6/5/2014

EAST LONGMEADOW – The New England Mutiny (1-2-0) faced off against the top team in the WPSL New England Division, the fully professional Boston Breakers Reserves (3-0-0), at East Longmeadow High School but were shutout in a well-fought 1-0 loss.

After lighting up the scoreboard in their season-opening win over Maine, the team has only notched a goal in their last two defeats which has now endangered their chances to qualify for the post-season for the 14th time in the organization's 15-year existence.

The Mutiny’s Kate Howarth almost put her team up early in this match, but her scoring bid in the 6th minute went for naught. In the 23rd minute, Boston’s Jazmine Reeves - who scored a hat-trick in the Breakers 4-1 win over defending National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) champion Portland just a few days earlier - fired her shot off the crossbar. In the 37th minute, Howarth again had a chance on the Boston goal but notorious Mutiny nemesis Jami Kranich pushed her shot wide of goal.

The home team was building a rhythm until Reeves forced a pair of saves from Mutiny goalkeeper Carly McCabe a few minutes before the halftime whistle. The midfield war and 0-0 scoreline would remain that way until the 65th minute, when former West Virginia forward Katie Lenz scored the eventual game-winning goal off an assist from Kylie Strom. The Mutiny would have their best scoring chance of the second half in the 76th minute, but Morgan Andrews was thwarted on her opportunity by the Boston defense.

Next up for the Mutiny is another home game, this time versus Boston Breakers Academy (2-1-0) on June 7 at East Longmeadow High School at 7 p.m.  A victory is vital for the Mutiny’s post-season hopes as only the four division winners qualify for the East Conference playoffs this year.

This is the first time since midway through the 2012 WPSL Elite season that the Mutiny has lost on consecutive occasions. That year, the team defeated the Breakers and  will have to do it again on July 2 when these two sides meet again.