THE MELROSE High girls’ soccer team picked up a key win last week and will enjoy Soccer Night this Friday evening. Pictured is senior Jill Frawley (Dan Pawlowski photo)
After press time:
Melrose defeats Stoneham 6-0 on Senior Night (Oct. 21)
Melrose ties Wilmington 0-0 (Oct. 18)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
MELROSE— On Columbus Day morning, the Melrose High girls’ soccer team beat host Burlington, 3-1, on a damp, raw day. It was a key win for Melrose, who improved to 6-8 overall and 6-7 in the Middlesex League as they snapped a four-game losing streak.
They also improved to 5-2 in the ML Freedom division as they are in second place behind Wilmington.
Importantly, Melrose is currently ranked 24th in the MIAA Div. 2 Power Rankings heading into this week. The top 32 teams at the end of the regular season are automatically qualified for the state tournament regardless of record. Melrose’s chances of playoff seem strong as they wind down their regular season.
Against Burlington, Melrose saw the Red Devils score first as they made it 1-0 with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. In the game’s 55th minute, Melrose’s Cadence L’Heureux tied it. Four minutes later, L’Heureux scored the eventual game-winning goal on a crossing pass from Abby Taylor.
Five minutes later, Taylor got the team’s insurance goal on a free kick from 65-yards out that bounced over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net.
“We needed to show that we could score,” said Melrose head coach Rob Mahoney. “We haven’t scored in nearly three weeks but when Cadence got that first goal it gave the team some confidence.”
Melrose goalkeeper Lilah Croach made five saves as her record improved to 4-5 in net.
Melrose swept the season series from the Red Devils as they beat them, 2-1, back on Sept 18 at Pine Banks.
Prior to this, on Oct. 9, Melrose fell 2-0 to guest Wakefield at Pine Banks. The teams ended up splitting the season series as Melrose won the first meeting, 2-1, back on Sept. 11. The Warriors scored both goals in the first half in the 15th and 31st minute.
“We had several good chances,” said Mahoney.
The two best chances came when Aisling Donegan hit the post and, later on, Abby Taylor hit the crossbar. Croach had six saves in that game.
On Friday, Melrose will host Wilmington at 6:00 pm trying to get a split of the season series. This evening serves as the team’s fifth annual Melrose Soccer Night as the game will be at Fred Green Field with the Melrose boys game being played right afterward. Melrose then welcomes Stoneham on Oct. 21 at 6:15 pm. Melrose beat the Spartans, 1-0, back on Sept. 23 in the first match-up. That game will also be at Fred Green Field as it is the team’s Senior Night as Melrose honors their seven 12th-graders who will be recognized before kickoff.
