SCITUATE — Every team, no matter how successful, has that one opponent it just can’t shake.
For Scituate’s girls soccer program, that enemy was a Patriot League foe from a few miles west. But on Wednesday, the Sailors exorcized their demons in convincing fashion.
Freshman Sarah Gillis notched a goal and tallied an assist, and senior Caroline Horan sniped a goal of her own, helping the top-ranked Sailors knock off rival Whitman-Hanson for the first time in nine years, 3-1, while advancing to Patriot Cup semifinals in the process.
“It’s long overdue,” Horan said. “We’ve been playing Whitman-Hanson since my freshman year. It’s always been a good game, but we always fall short. So, it’s good to finish the game on a high, and going forward, I think we are going to be really positive playing other teams.”
After the two schools traded opportunities for the majority of the first half, Scituate struck with 4:35 left in the second quarter, as junior Brooke Pierotti gained possession, then attempted a chip shot in the direction of the Panthers’ net. The shot was too high for Whitman-Hanson goalkeeper Reese Codero to tip away, as the ball fell harmlessly into the net to put the Scituate ahead, 1-0, a lead which stood until halftime.
“Because of the formation we play, we have a lot of space on the outside,” said Pierotti. “So, I was able to make a run to the back post where Kelly Horan crossed it in, and I kind of just volleyed it over.”
With just under four minutes to play in the third, Gillis made her first key play of the day, forcing Whitman-Hanson into a turnover near midfield. After settling the ball down, she glanced left, and noticed teammate Caroline Horan all alone in the open field. The freshman fed the pass to the senior forward, who took a few steps before turning her head toward goal.
“We were just trying to pressure,” Horan said. “And usually when you’re trying to pressure like that, you’re just trying to create mistakes, not necessarily trying to get a result off of it. I saw that (Gillis) really had her player (in a tough spot), so I wanted to give her an option. Then I saw my lane, and decided to go for it.”
After picking her spot, Horan ripped a missile from 10 yards out, which found the lower right corner of the net. Suddenly, after battling all day, the Sailors (10-0-2) had some breathing room with a 2-0 lead.
Or did they?
During his eight years at the helm with Scituate, Sailors coach Rob Williams has seen his fair share of comebacks. He turned to his players, urging them to maintain the pressure.
“I always say to the girls that 2-0 is a tough game,” Williams said. “Because if (the opponent) gets one, the momentum changes.”
Rather than taking their feet off the gas, the Sailors turned up the tempo as the third quarter was set to expire. After picking up the assist a few moments earlier, Gillis was rewarded for her efforts, when Madison Soucey fed her the ball. With plenty of space in front of her, Gillis decided to take a shot from 20 yards deep. Her prayer was answered, as the ball drew twine to make it a 3-0 game, essentially clinching the win for Scituate.
Emma Poirier recorded three saves in net for Scituate.
Ava Melia registered a goal for Whitman-Hanson (9-1-2) with 12 minutes remaining in regulation, as she corralled a loose ball by the Sailors’ net and ran it in to make it a 3-1 affair.
Codero tallied eight saves for the second-seeded Panthers.
Scituate will play the winner of Saturday’s game between Pembroke and Silver Lake, hoping to continue its undefeated season.
“It’s huge,” Williams said of the win. “I think just being on the field right now for the girls is as big as anything. We weren’t sure if we were going to get this (season) in. And everybody is going about it the same way. Nobody’s going in, saying: ‘Oh, it’s only the Patriot League Cup.’ This is real for these girls. They’re in it to win it.”
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November 12, 2020 at 07:56AM
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Scituate girls score long-awaited win over Whitman-Hanson in Patriot Cup - Boston Herald
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