Girls’ soccer falls 1-0 to Newburyport in D3N quarterfinals
Published in the November 8, 2017 edition
SOPHOMORE MIDFIELDER Victoria Morelli (25) makes a pass while head coach Mark Vermont and the Lynnfield bench looks on during their quarterfinal matchup against Newburyport on Monday. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
LYNNFIELD — Heartbreaking. Devastating. Unfair. Pick whichever one and it could accurately describe the feeling for the LHS girls’ soccer team after their 1-0 overtime loss to Newburyport in the Division 3 North quarterfinals on Monday.
Eighty minutes wasn’t enough for the Pioneers and Clippers at Pioneer Stadium.
After an excellent performance from the whole team, especially the defense and senior goalie Mackenzie O’Neill, the Clippers scored with 7:15 remaining in the first overtime after Newburyport’s Olivia Sullivan started a break, and Margaret Cote fired a shot that would deflect off a Clipper in front and find its way to the back of the net. It is the most unforgiving way to end a soccer game. Cruel. That’s another precise description.
“It’s unfortunate that it ends on a deflection,” said head coach Mark Vermont. “That’s just unlucky.”
The result shouldn’t take away from the fact that this was an excellent game from start to finish. Often times it’s the high-scoring games that get the attention, but the scoreless draw during regulation just highlighted how even these two teams were, and how hard they both played.
It was a tough and physical game from the opening whistle. The Pioneers matched the physicality from the Clippers, and Lynnfield got a couple of chances from senior forward Kate Mitchell, but it was the defense that stepped up, led by sophomore centerback Elizabeth Sykes, and seniors Hannah Filipe, and Juliana Passatempo. O’Neill, made her first of seven saves on a diving effort that shut down a bullet shot from Newburyport with 25 minutes left in the first half.
This game added to an already epic rivalry between the two programs, and while most of the match featured battles for 50/50 balls, the Pioneers got better possession late in the first half that carried over to a second half effort that saw Lynnfield get the majority of the shots.
“With about 15 minutes to go in the first half we started to take control and then in the second half we really controlled the game,” said Vermont.
The Pioneers won the second half, but couldn’t finish on two or three good chances, all stopped by Newburyport’s senior captain keeper, Jennifer Stuart.
“Their goalie made some great saves,” said Vermont.
The Pioneers definitely missed their leading scorer and co-captain Liz Shaievitz, but the offense still did a great job of creating opportunities.
The final whistle of regulation guaranteed both an exhilarating victory for one team and a pick-your-adjective loss for the losing team. It was just simply unfortunate for the Pioneers and an excellent senior class.
“Kate Mitchell up top, Sydney (Santosuosso) in the middle. All of our seniors today, (Hannah) Filipe, J.P. (Passatempo) the Montaniles (Christina and Olivia), Mack (O’Neill), I just feel bad for the seniors. That was tough,” said Vermont.
The Pioneers ended a great season with a record of 13-4-3. While this will naturally hurt for a while, the 2017 LHS girls’ soccer team has much to be proud of.
