Cardinals suffer shut outs

GIRLS SOCCER

By Tim Falls, Sports Editor
   In the Lawrence High School girls soccer team’s past two losses, goalie Nicole Krawczyk proved the two shutouts she posted in the Cardinals’ first two wins were no flukes.
   Despite the defeats, the Lawrence goalie faced a deluge of shots and made more saves than the Cardinals could have expected.
   Lawrence lost to Hopewell, 4-0, at Zimmer Field Tuesday night and fell to Notre Dame, 2-0, last Thursday.
   Krawczyk made 13 saves in the loss to Hopewell, blocking some pretty powerful shots.
   ”Last year we lost to Hopewell six or seven, nothing,” said Krawzyk. “We brought it down to four nothing, which is better, but we’re still working.”
   Hopewell’s rapid-fire offense put plenty of pressure on the Lawrence defense, but Krawczyk blocked several close in shots and got help from her defenders on the rebounds.
   ”My defense was there for me,” said Krawczyk. “There were times they could have been there for me a little more, but for the most part they’re always there for me. I can definitely count on my defense.”
   With Hopewell only ahead one goal, Kari Van Treuren managed to move the ball away from the open goal mouth after Krawzyk dove to knock down a shot.
   In the second half with Lawrence down several goals, the Cardinals keeper Sarah Borajkiewicz user her body to block a rebound blasted at the net after Krawczyk turned aside a Hopewell shot.
   ”We told our kids we don’t question their heart,” said Lawrence coach Dave Boggs. “They’re going to play as hard as they possibly can. Nicole made a ton of nice saves and my keeper Sarah Borajkiewicz was working hard.”
   After starting the season with shutout victories over Allentown (3-0) and Nottingham (2-0), the Cardinals lost to Notre Dame, 2-0, on Thursday.
   The Irish scored two first-half goals to hand the Cardinals their first loss of the season.
   Notre Dame’s Nicole Dennion tallied twice in her team’s win.
   Notre Dame led in shots, 29-8, while Rachel Clark recorded her first shutout for the Irish.
   While Krawczyk gave up her first goals of the season, she made 16 saves in the loss to keep the Cardinals competitive.
   ”Our girls were really good,” said Krawczyk. “They wanted it. As long as you don’t give up and play your hardest, it’s all you can do. We’re definitely trying.”
   Offensively, Lawrence was lacking in the two losses, despite several close calls in the limited shots on goal.
   ”We have what it takes,” said Krawczyk. “We just have to finish it. We have to push it all the way down the field and get it in the goal.”
   While Lawrence dropped to 2-2 with the loss at Zimmer Field, the Cardinals coach said he still sees his team’s effort.
   ”We worked hard,” said Boggs, “but we came up short.”