By DAN NUNN
NICE EFFORT. Junior Jordan Schille executes a perfect corner kick against Lynn Tech. (John Friberg Photo)
NORTH READING — Senior tri-captain Tori Brown scored with two minutes remaining to propel the Lady Hornets girls’ soccer team to their 2-1 home victory over the Masconomet Chieftains on October 20.
Brown scored both goals and sophomore Katerina Hassapis was stout in net with eight saves to enable the Hornets to finish off a rare sweep of the Chieftains. North Reading had also defeated Masconomet by a 2-1 score back on September 16, accounting for two out the three league losses for the second-place Chieftains (10-3-2) to date.
It was an evenly played first half. In the second minute North Reading had a great chance but the attempt was thwarted by the Masco goalie. Just three minutes later the Chieftains took the lead on a cheap goal. Hassapis was caught out of the net and the Hornet defenders’ attempted clearance was taken by a Masconomet player who placed the shot into the open goal. The game would remain 1-0 at the half.
North Reading controlled the tempo in the second half. Early on in the half they lacked a finishing touch but finally tied it up in the 55th minute. Brown took a great service off a corner from Jillian Comeau and potted the equalizer. From that point on the Hornets ramped up the pressure but just missed on a few glorious chances.
Finally, in the 88th minute, they broke the deadlock. North Reading burst into the box and the ball carrier was taken down for what appeared to be a penalty kick. But the referee played the advantage and the ball rolled to Brown who blasted the game-winner into the net.
CAL All-Stars picked
Mid-week, the Cape Ann League All-Stars were announced and the Hornets were well represented. Senior tri-captain Kerri-Ann Donovan and sophomore goalie Katerina Hassapis were named First Team All-Stars. Senior tri-captains Cole Godzinski and Tori Brown were named 2nd team All-Stars.
Coach Sean Killeen, who returned to lead the Hornets as head coach this year after a hiatus of several years, was also named the CAL Coach of the Year for the Kinney Division of large school teams.
CAL points leaders
Hassapis is currently ranked second overall among CAL goalies in goals against average. In 15 games she has let up just eight goals for a 0.53 GAA. She trails only Newburyport’s Georgia Kacher (7 goals, 17.70 games, 0.40 GAA).
Godzinski and Marissa Zarella are tied for sixth overall among the top goal scorers in the CAL with six goals apiece to date. Godzinski also makes the list of top assists leaders, with five, tying her for eighth overall, and total points, with 11, also tying her for eighth overall.
Lose tough one to Bishop Fenwick
The Hornets battled hard but fell on the road to the Bishop Fenwick Crusaders 1-0 in a non-league game on Friday afternoon.
It was a physical defensive battle for most of the game. But halfway through the second half a long through ball by the Crusaders got behind the Hornets’ back line and the Fenwick player blasted a shot into the back of the net to break the deadlock.
The Hornets remained composed and created several good scoring chances but were unable to beat the Crusaders’ keeper.
Await tourney rankings
The Hornets played their final two league games after press time on Monday and Tuesday against Hamilton-Wenham and Pentucket, respectively. Both were league games and the results count toward the team’s regular season record in the state tournament seedings when the brackets are announced on www.miaa.net Friday, Oct. 31.
