By DAN NUNN
Pioneers snap unbeaten streak
EYES ON THE BALL. Hornet senior Cole Godzinski (10) controls the balll for North Reading. Number 24 for Hornets is Tori Brown. (John Friberg Photo)
NORTH READING — The Lady Hornets’ six-game unbeaten streak was snapped by the rival Lynnfield Pioneers with their 2-1 victory on Oct. 6. Sophomore Haley Nathan scored the lone North Reading goal.
The Pioneers got off to a quick start in the first half of the soccer game. In the 10th minute Lynnfield was awarded a penalty kick. Hornet goalie Katerina Hassapis, a sophomore, made a great save and the ball rolled out for a corner. Unfortunately the Pioneers scored directly off the corner to go on top 1-0.
The Hornets had a great chance to answer in the 25th minute on a rebound with an open net but couldn’t find the rebound and the game remained 1-0 at the half.
The Hornet attack heated up in the second half. In the 54th minute they had a golden opportunity to score on an indirect free kick from just inside the box. The ball was struck perfectly and it appeared to be going in, but Lynnfield goalie Hannah Travers made an incredible save.
After the Pioneers scored to go up 2-0, North Reading got on the board in the 67th minute when a cross from sophomore Jessica Muise found Nathan who ripped a shot into the open net. The Hornets ramped up the pressure the rest of the way, but just couldn’t manage another quality opportunity.
Trample Tigers 4-0
The Hornets responded to the tough loss against Lynnfield with a 4-0 rout of the Ipswich Tigers on Oct. 8. Junior Jordan Schille led the way with a goal and an assist.
North Reading scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the first half. On the first goal Schille found a wide open Marissa Zarella who finished off the goal. Just three minutes later Schille made it 2-0 when she lofted a shot from 20 yards out over the goalie’s head for the score.
The game would stay 2-0 until the 38th minute. Freshman Meredith Griffin played a perfect through ball to senior tri-captain Cole Godzinski creating a two-on-one with Zarella. The Tigers’ defender cheated the pass and Godzinski beat the goalie with a rocket to the low corner of the net.
It was a 3-0 lead at the half for North Reading. In the second half Coach Sean Killeen brought on the underclassmen. Freshman Kourtney Luker sealed the victory with her first career varsity goal late in the second half.
Earn upset victory over Clippers
The Hornets had their biggest win of the season, upsetting the No. 14 Boston Globe Top 20 ranked Newburyport Clippers 1-0 on Friday afternoon. Cole Godzinski scored for North Reading with the assists going to senior tri-captain Tori Brown and Marissa Zarella.
Both teams traded chances in the first half. The Clippers had the better opportunities but sent one shot over the crossbar and twice were thwarted by Hassapis. The game would remain deadlocked 0-0 at the half.
Things changed for the Hornets early in the second half. In the 50th minute Zarella broke into the Newburyport end and found Brown on the far side of the box. Brown then sent a great pass to Godzinski who beat the goalie to the ball and potted the goal. For the rest of the game the back line of North Reading shut down the Clippers and helped the team escape with the superb win.
The victory improved North Reading’s record to 7-3-2, both overall and in the CAL Large, with six games remaining on the regular season schedule. One more win or two ties will give the Hornets the two points they need to qualify for states.
Upcoming games
The team traveled to Triton Tuesday (after press time) and heads over to Hamilton-Wenham today (Oct. 16) for a 3:45 p.m. start. On Friday, Oct. 17, they’ll host Lynn Tech at Arthur J. Kenney Field for a 4 p.m. start. Next week the ladies host Masconomet on Monday, Oct. 20 at 3:45 p.m. and Pentucket on Wednesday night, Oct. 22 under the lights at Arthur J. Kenney Field at 7 p.m. They’ll wrap up the regular season on the road Friday, Oct. 24 at Bishop Fenwick in Peabody at 4 p.m.
