Chambersburg holds off JB in girls soccer, 2-1

James Buchanan controlled the run of play for a majority of the match, especially in the second half, but the Rockets could never find the equalizer and fell to visiting Chambersburg, 2-1, in girls soccer action Monday night in Mercersburg.

The second half of the match was contested almost entirely in the Trojans' end of the pitch, with Chambersburg mustering very little possession and failing to register a shot on goal or a corner kick.

"Our movement off the ball really lacked in the second half and they were beating us to 50/50 balls badly," Chambersburg coach Ed Franchi said. "They put pressure on us and I knew that they would. Our back line - Ashlynn Swanger, Alex Cottingham, Lauren Ocker and Layne Kimple - played very well and did a nice job of keeping shots to a minimum."

JB (2-4) saw its best chance at leveling the match come up short when Trojan freshman keeper Hannah Spangler denied Mick Heinbaugh's shot with 9:38 remaining in the match.

"I felt we deserved to win tonight. We made an adjustment after their first two goals and it's my fault that we didn't do it sooner," JB coach Terry Appleby said. "We had chances and we couldn't finish them, but we're headed in the right direction."

Chambersburg (3-3) grabbed a 1-0 lead just 48 seconds into the match when sophomore Gabby Lecuona got loose on a breakaway and beat Rocket keeper Siara Gossert with a shot from the center of the field to the right side of the net. Lecuona took four touches to get in position for the shot.

"I made a run, called for the ball and my teammates got it to me," Lecuona said. "I was trying to go low and to a corner, just like my dad tells me to. I didn't want to hit it too hard and miss the goal."

Lecuona set up Chambersburg's other goal when she crossed the ball from left to center and Brynn Vandegriff booted it home with 28:20 to play until halftime. That was the Trojans' final shot on goal of the match.

Aspen Anderson scored James Buchanan's goal off an assist from Saige Eckard at the 11:39 mark of the opening half. It came off a pass from Eckard in the middle of the field to the left and Anderson went near post for the marker.