By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — Last season was a very successful one for the North Reading High girls soccer team. After two playoff wins, they lost, 1-0, at Hanover in the MIAA Division 3 Round of 8 game to finish with a final record of 16-4-1.
In the Cape Ann League, they a record of 10-3-1 as they ended in third place in the CAL Kinney Division behind Newburyport and Pentucket.
The Hornets lost 13 seniors to graduation including Cape Ann League First-Team All-Star Tiara Lamont as she finished with 13 points with five goals and eight assists.
When fall camp opened on Aug. 21, Hornets’ 17th-year head coach Sean Killeen welcomed back 11 veterans.
Three of them are this year’s senior captains, Maggie Schultz, Madison Vant and Isabella Cannalonga.
Schultz, a CAL First-Team All-Star as the goalkeeper, went 16-4-1 overall with a goals-against-average of 0.66.
The captains are the only 12th-graders back.
The juniors back are Marisa Montana, Julia Scammon, Isabelle Lazure, Alexandra Sfikas and Despina Sfikas.
Ali Lanciani, Kierstin Higgins and Reilly Tassinari are the three 10th-graders back. Lanciani was a CAL Second-Team All-Star as a freshman as the forward had eight goals and two assists
“Returning 11 players with solid playing experience and a deep run in the state tournament should help us compete for the CAL title,” said Killeen. “The league is filled with great competition with teams that represent the league well in the state tournament every year.”
According to Killeen, Newburyport is still the team to beat in the Kinney Division.
“We have circled dates with Newburyport, the only team we did not earn a point against last year, Pentucket and our rival, Lynnfield. Georgetown and Hamilton- Wenham are also expected to be very strong teams this upcoming season.”
North Reading had a busy pre-season playing four matches against Reading, Wilmington, Stoneham and North Andover.
“The pre-season has proved to be valuable for us,” pointed out Killeen. “We scored nine goals and only gave up one in four matches. It has provided time and opportunities for players to demonstrate their ability and desire to compete.”
In the season opener on Tuesday, the Hornets blanked CAL newcomer Essex Tech, 2-0, at home. Lanciani scored in the second half at the 41:52 mark assisted by Montana on a throw in. Montana had the other goal at 68:54 assisted by Georgia Roberts.
Schultz made six saves.
The next game for the Hornets will be on Sept. 7 as they host Triton at 4:45 p.m. On Sept. 12, they visit Pentucket with that game starting at 4:30 p.m.