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North Reading defeats Triton 7-0 (Oct. 3)
Published October 3, 2024
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — The North Reading High girls’ soccer team shut out guest Essex Tech, 2-0, on Tuesday afternoon to stay perfect on the season. With the win, the Hornets improved to 10-0 overall and 9-0 in the Cape Ann League.
The Hornets scored one goal in each half against the Hawks.
Ariana Demetri scored at the 26:20 mark of the first half assisted by Kiersten Higgins.
Higgins had the second tally 12:45 into the second half assisted by Alex Sfikas and Allie Lanciani.
Hornet goalkeeper, Macy Kurchian, made two saves to record her 8th shutout of the fall. She went to 10-0 in net.
On Sept. 27, the Hornets shut out host Rockport by a final of 6-0.
Leading 2-0 at the half, the Hornets erupted for four second-half goals.
Higgins scored the first one 19:25 into the game assisted by Sfikas.
Alexa Pepper, assisted by Julia Scammon and Demetri, made it 2-0 at the 27:30 mark.
Allie Lanciani, the team’s top scorer, then scored the next two goals and both were unassisted. The first one came 5:30 into the second half. The second one came at the 18:25 mark.
Higgins, assisted by Sfikas, made it 5-0 just 1:13 after Lanciani’s second goal.
Marisa Montana, on an indirect kick, had the final goal at the 66:54 mark.
Kurchian made two stops in net.
“Playing on a smaller grass surface, the team was a little slow getting started,” admitted Hornets head coach Sean Killeen. “You always worry after a big game, that there may be a little slide. We need to do a better job preparing for these issues during the second half of the season.”
On Sept. 24, the Hornets edged host Newburyport, 2-1, in a key league match as both schools entered the game undefeated.
Lanciani, assisted by Montana, scored the first goal 5:27 in.
Demetri then made it 2-0 at the 25:06 mark assisted by Sfikas to send the Hornets to a 2-0 halftime lead.
Aoife Tykulsky cut the lead to one scoring, unassisted, at the 46:59 mark but the Hornets were able to hold on the rest of the way.
Kurchian made eight saves against the Clippers.
Killeen was very pleased with the team’s defense in this game.
“I can’t say enough about the play of the back line,” stated Killeen. “They were under a lot of pressure in the second half and we struggled settling back in. Montana’s leadership and composure has really anchored our play.”
Along with center back, junior Sara Suny, the Hornets can be flanked by a set of talented backs, senior Belle Lazure, juniors Taylor Osterlind and Mikaela O’Driscoll, along with freshman Paige Vant.
“The talent of these players affords different strengths and provides us the ability to mix and match,” pointed out Killeen.
Killen also praised Kurchian as the eight stops were a season high.
“Macy is calm and composed in the net,” he said. “She has consistently put herself in the position to make the saves to keep us ahead of the game.”
North Reading’s next two games will be at home. On Oct. 3, they welcome Triton looking for the season sweep. On Oct. 8, they host Amesbury. Both of those games will start at 4:45 p.m.