Post publication updates:
North Reading (No. 9) will host Martha’s Vineyard (No. 24) in the first round of Div. 3 states on Wednesday, November 5 at 3 pm.
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North Reading defeats Bishop Fenwick 3-1 on Senior Night (Oct. 29)
Published October 30, 2025
Girls’ soccer finishes CAL play at 11-1-4
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
AUBURN — Last Saturday, the North Reading High girls’ soccer team traveled west to take on Auburn in a non-league game. Auburn, a central Mass. power, ended up winning the game, 4-2.
Ella Ferguson got the Rockets on the scoreboard just one minute into the game. She then scored again at the 23:54 mark.
Less than two minutes later, the Rockets scored again to make it 3-0.
Kiersten Higgins, assisted by Allie Lanciani, got the Hornets on the scoreboard at the 27:53 mark.
Ten minutes later, Lilly Arian Aitchison cut the Rocket lead to one with Lanciani assisting again.
“It felt like the momentum shifted and we were equipped to pull off a solid comeback win,” said Hornets head coach Sean Killeen.
However, that was the final Hornet goal of the day as Kaitlynn Baker had the lone tally of the second half for the hosts at the 62:11 mark.
With the loss ,the Hornets’ record dropped to 11-2-4 while the Rockets improved to 8-7-1.
“Auburn is a quality team and they hit us hard early,” said Killeen. “Going down 3-0 on the road is tough, but I was extremely impressed with the way our girls responded. To pull two goals back before the half showed tremendous character.”
Hornet goalkeeper, Hannah Frew, made six saves.
In their final Cape Ann League game of the year on Oct. 23, the Hornets blanked Essex Tech, 4-0, on the road.
North Reading swept the Hawks this fall as they won the first meeting, 5-3, back on Sept. 23.
The Hornets finished up at 11-1-4 in the league as they finished behind Newburyport and Lynnfield in the CAL Kinney Division.
Lanciani was the star of the this game recording a hat-trick with goals at 5:37, 11:55, and 39:50. Higgins also had a spectacular game, scoring a goal herself at the 35:55 mark and assisting on all three of Lanciani’s goals.
Ariana Demetri and Reilly Tassinari also contributed with an assist each.
Frew made two saves in the first half to pick up the win. Maya Grossi had one stop in net in the second half to preserve the shutout.
“That first half was exactly what we’ve been working towards,” said Killeen. “The ball movement was intentional, and the finishing was excellent. Allie and Kiersten’s chemistry was phenomenal. We backed off the pressure a bit in the second half, but the defense was solid and we earned a hard-fought shutout.”
The Hornets wrapped up the regular season on Oct. 29 as they hosted Bishop Fenwick on Senior Night (results not available as of press time).
On Saturday, the brackets will come out for the Division 3 state tournament. The Hornets will get to open the playoffs at home sometime next week as they entered this week ranked 10th in the MIAA power rankings.