Update post publication:
Melrose falls to Winchester 2-0 (Oct. 5)
Mehlrose defeats Lexington on Senior Night, improves to 8-1-1 on the season.

 

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCI

MELROSE—On Tuesday afternoon, the Melrose High girls soccer team tied visiting Stoneham, 0-0, at the West Side Knoll on a unseasonably hot, sunny day. This game was originally scheduled for Pine Banks but then was moved.

With the scoreless tie, Melrose’s record is now 7-0-1 and they stayed undefeated. “They had the better chances in the first half but we had the better ones in the second one,” said Melrose head coach Rob Mahoney. “Their defense played well.”

The big news for the team was that senior captain Ava Tormo made her first start of the year, coming back from an injury, and she made three saves.

At Pine Banks last Friday in a driving rainstorm, Melrose beat Wilmington, 3-1. The Wildcats scored first in the game off a free kick in the 20th minute of the opening half.  Melrose tied it with 18 minutes left in the game as Ella Callahan scored assisted by Ellie Deeble.

Three minutes later, Sophie McElligott, the team’s top scorer, had the eventual game-winning goal with Chloe Mahoney assisting. The final tally was scored by Callahan, assisted by McElligott, with just over five minutes remaining in the game.

“We were persistent and were finally able to break through,” said coach Mahoney, about the second-half rally.

Melrose goalie Kate Stratford made three saves in the first half. Tormo played in net in the second half, in her season debut, and stopped one shot to record the win.

Prior to that, on Sept. 27, Melrose won a night game in Burlington, 3-2. After a scoreless opening half, the Red Devils struck first three minute into the second stanza. Eight minutes later, Melrose’s Abby Taylor tied it up unassisted. That was the sophomore’s first-career goal. Melrose took its first lead as McElligott put home a penalty kick as Burlington was called for a hand ball. Mahoney made it 3-1 ten minutes later with Deeble assisting. However, Burlington made things interesting late scoring with a little over two minutes left to cut the lead to one, but Melrose was able to hold on the rest of the game.

“That is the first time this year we have trailed and I was proud of the composure the girls showed,” said coach Mahoney. “Burlington is a really fast team but we were able to wear them out in the second half.’

Stratford, a freshman, made five saves to go to 6-0 in net.

Melrose steps up in weight class for their next three games. On Oct. 5, they visit undefeated Winchester at 4:15 pm. “That is a measuring stick game for us,” admitted coach Mahoney.

Melrose will host Lexington at Fred Green Memorial Field on Columbus Day night. That is the team’s Senior Night as the 11 seniors will be honored before the game.

The ceremony will take place at 6:30 pm while the game will start at 7. On Oct. 11, Melrose has another tough test as they visit Arlington at 6:30.