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09/27/2015 12:00 AMThe East Haven girls’ soccer team has started 2015 with six-consecutive victories, having scored 21 times, while allowing just one goal that came in last week’s 5-1 win over Cross-Hillhouse-Career when the game was already out of hand. With the best start in program history, the Yellowjackets are on the verge of breaking plenty of school records this year and the girls feel confident and excited as they get into the heart of their schedule.
“Obviously, we thought we had the potential to be a good team. Given our history and the program, it was tough to tell, but our schedule didn’t have many of the tougher teams on it and now we’re thrilled to be 6-0 considering the school record for wins is seven and we still have 10 games to go,” said Head Coach Ray Curren, whose club is 3-0 in the SCC Oronoque. “We still want to go further, but we’re thrilled be to 6-0 and on pace to set records. North Haven and Branford were back-to-back divisional wins, so those were huge and Cross was the third, so do to that in the division was huge. Our team has never won a division title alone, but now we’re in good shape.”
Facing the Governors in New Haven on Sept. 21, sophomore Haley Montesanto tallied the first goal about a minute into the game and then senior Megan Kikosicki netted the Yellowjackets’ subsequent four scores. Two of those goals came on free kicks, while the others were assisted by senior Elizabeth Harrold. The opposition finally found the back of the net with about nine minutes left and it was the first shot to get by senior goalie Caitlin Esposito this season.
“The girls were upset they gave up the goal. They take pride in it,” Curren said. “Most of the attention goes to Megan and, rightfully so, but our defense has been outstanding.”
Having a majority of his defense return from 2014, Curren had a feeling that would be a strong unit on the pitch this season. Esposito was stellar in net a year ago before suffering an ACL team midway through the campaign and two-thirds of East Haven’s starting defenders are right back where they were last fall.
“That’s a huge part. The defense hasn’t changed. The only thing was [junior] AnnMarie DiNicola went back there from the midfield because I thought she’d be a good fit,” Coach Curren said. “She’s with [Alex] Crisco and [Chiara] Fusco.”
After dispatching Cross-Hillhouse-Career, East Haven blanked non-conference opponent North Branford 2-0 at home on Sept. 23. Esposito made five saves to record the clean sheet. Megan Kikosicki and sophomore sibling Jordan Kikosicki each had a goal and an assist.
Megan Kikosicki then continued her scorching streak to begin the year by netting another hat trick in East Haven’s 4-0 win at West Haven on Sept. 25. Sophomore Aly Moss, freshman Jenna Pane, and sister Jordan assisted her goals and Megan also had the helper on freshman Boka Mitrovic’s goal early in the second half.
“She’s marked harder this year than last, but it doesn’t matter. She’s older, more mature, and has shown that she can handle it. Plus, our other forward, Haley [Montesanto], is taking some pressure off. She’s doing enough to get the ball to her,” Curren said of Megan Kikosicki’s torrid start to the season. “Last year, she was kind of along up there and we had her do everything by herself. Now, she has help and is off to hot start, which has helped her confidence. Plus, it’s her senior year, so she’s excited.”
Even though the Yellowjackets have shown that they’re prime contenders early on this season, Curren knows they can’t get complacent. He said the team needs to maintain its intensity and, thus far, his athletes have answered the call.
“The confidence is key. We can beat everybody, but we have to guard against being overconfident,” he said. “We have tough teams coming up, teams are capable of being us, and so we can’t get ahead of ourselves. Teams are going to see our record and get up for us, which in the past is something we didn’t have to do. Now, everybody knows because of what our record is and we have to match their intensity to keep winning.”
From the Sidelines
Prior to its three victories last week, East Haven shut out Law (4-0), North Haven (3-0), and Branford (3-0).
Megan Kikosicki has scored or assisted on 20 of the Yellowjackets’ 21 goals this season.
East Haven has allowed a paltry average of just 0.16 goals per game thus far this year.
Next up, East Haven plays at Law at 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30; hosts Sheehan at 3:45 on Friday, Oct. 2; and then has a game at Sacred Heart Academy at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6.