Bianchi, Wong Earn Athlete of the Week Recognition

This week’s iBerkshires.com/Bedard Bros. Athletes of the Week are leading their respective soccer teams to late September surges.

 

After a challenging start to the season in which it went 1-4, the Pittsfield girls soccer team had a dominating week, beating both its opponents by 4-0 scores.

 

Abbey Wong was a big reason why, scoring two goals and assisting on a third as the Generals completed a season sweep of Drury on Thursday and, two days later, getting a hat trick in a win over Mount Anthony.

 

“Abbey Wong was fantastic all over the field today and made nice runs, combination passes and beat defenders on through balls,” Pittsfield coach Molly West said after Saturday’s win.

 

Wong’s five goals in two games established her as the team’s offensive leader.

 

She and the Generals (3-4) Monday will look to avenge one of their losses when they host Lenox for a rematch at Kirvin Park. On Thursday, Pittsfield makes the short trip to Dalton to take on Wahconah under the lights.

 

Mount Greylock keeper Ward Bianchi had a big Saturday under the lights at BCC based solely on the numbers: 11 saves in a 0-0 tie against Pittsfield.

 

But if you were there and saw the performance behind those numbers, Bianchi’s performance was spectacular.

 

Four times in the last 18 minutes of the game, the Mount Greylock senior made either a diving or leaping save to deny the Generals. And he backstopped a Mountie team in the final 27 minutes that was playing a man down after taking a red card.

 

“Ward was the man of the match for us tonight,” Mount Greylock coach Chris Kapiloff said. “He’s clearly a very talented goalie. He made several saves that, when the ball was kicked, my heart dropped. But, for Ward, that’s just sort of his norm. And he was really run to watch.”

 

It was a fun week for the Mounties, who went 2-0-1 to improve to 4-3-2. Bianchi made 23 saves and allowed two goals in that three-game stretch. Going back four games, he has 30 saves while allowing three goals – one a penalty kick that was the only goal in a 1-0 loss to Monument Mountain on Sept. 19.

 

Mount Greylock has a couple of days to get ready for Wednesday’s home match against Easthampton.

 

The iBerkshires.com Athlete of the Week is sponsored by Bedard Bros.