Three wins for EHS girls soccer
The Everett High girls soccer team enjoyed a perfect week, going 3-for-3 with a trifecta of victories in three contests.
Last Saturday the Lady Crimson Tide hosted non-league opponent Lawrence at Everett Stadium and ran away to a 6-0 victory.
After a slow start in which Everett managed to take a slim 1-0 lead at the half on a goal by Gisele Erazo off a deflection which she slotted past the Lawrence keeper, the Lady Crimson Tide took control after the intermission.
Erazo received a perfectly-timed cross from Rosa Romero and Gisele once again delivered it into the back of the Lawrence net to make it 2-0.
Erazo then contributed an assist. Gisele, who is the Tide’s free kick specialist, did what she does well and took a free kick, placed it in the box, and Johanna Flores was there to crash the net, putting it past the keeper for her first goal of the season.
Connie Paz Hernandez then put a lovely shot on target and Sofia Arana-Quintanilla, the Tide’s leading scorer, was there to clean it up to make it 4-0.
Casey Martinez finally got to score the first varsity goal of her long, illustrious career during which she has been a four-year starter for the Lady Crimson Tide at the defensive position and never missing a minute of play. A foul occurred and Martinez stepped up to the penalty spot, delivering a shot over the Lawrence keeper’s head and through her hands for the goal.
To round out the game, Odalis Sandoval put the ball in the 6-yard box where Norma “Sofia” Chavez, a newly- promoted sophomore from the JV squad, was there to clean up the fumbling ball to notch her first goal at the varsity on the first day of being pulled up
Both of the EHS goalies, Kaylyn Rivera and Gabriella Menjivar, recorded a shutout without seeing much action, but they were there to provide reassurance, just in case Lawerance went on the offensive. This would be Rivera’s second straight shutout, as she is improving day-by day in her new role.
“Overall, once the nerves settled, the team started to play like a team and played well, too,” said EHS head coach Domenick Persuitte. “Liv Simon and Bella Mitrano played extremely well, along with another newly-promoted JV player, Jasmine Morais.”
The Lady Crimson Tide then took on key Greater Boston League (GBL) rival Revere last Tuesday at 7-Acre field and emerged with a hard-fought 3-2 victory in what Persuitte termed “a very tight, tension-filled game.”
The only goal of the first half came from a back-post run by Connie Paz Hernandez, where Odalis Sandoval crossed the ball and Hernandez netted the shot.
Everett controlled the game for the entire first half, but the visiting Lady Patriots came out firing on all cylinders at the start of the second half, scoring two goals in under five minutes.
However, the Lady Crimson Tide regained the momentum to tie the game with a shot from 20 yards out by Sofia Arana-Quintanilla, who put a ball on frame and it went right through the Revere keeper’s legs.
Then, with less than a minute to go, Odalis Sandoval was blatantly taken out in the penalty box, and a PK was given. Arana-Quintanilla stepped up and smashed the ball past the keeper, giving the Tide the lead and the victory.
“Every one of my players stepped up and played well,” said Persuitte. “This result against Revere is a massive boost of motivation for the team.”
Two days later Persuitte and his crew hosted GBL foe Lynn English and claimed a 1-0 victory. The winning goal came from Odalis Sandoval with just five seconds to play on a direct shot on net. The ball went under the defender’s foot and the goalie did not react quickly enough.
“Lynn English did a great job and their keeper kept them in the game,” noted Persuitte.
Everett, which now has won four straight games and stands at 4-3 near the midpoint of the season, was scheduled to play at Lynn Classical yesterday (Tuesday), at Somerville tomorrow (Thursday), and at Medford next Tuesday.
EHS girls volleyball defeats Lynn English
The Everett High girls volleyball team earned its second victory of the young season with a 3-0 triumph over Greater Boston League (GBL) rivall Lynn English last Monday.
“It was our most complete performance so far,” said EHS head coach Michael Fineran. “We started strong and did not let up. Our serving was the driving force. We hit seven aces in the first set.”
Seniors Leliani Ros-Morales and Shaeendra Hall delivered aces in 10 serves. Junior libero Cassandra Tayag had a pair of aces. Assistant captain Juliette Romboli had an ace with two kills. Captain Nicole Damaceno had a pair of aces, a kill, and a block in the 25-14 first-set win.
Assistant captain Amanda Verteiro hit two of her three aces in the second set. Romboli had two kills, Damaceno had an ace and a kill, and senior Lindsey Cherichel Paul had two kills and a block in the 25-16 victory in the second set.
In the third set, junior MariaJose Cardenas had two kills, Hall had two kills, and Tayag had two aces. Damaceno was seven for seven serving. Romboli had three kills and ended the match with three straight aces to finish off the sweep, 25-18.
The Lady Crimson Tide did not have as much luck two days later at GBL foe Somerville.
Everett fell behind early, 7-1, before finding their footing, but managed only three kills and two aces — both from sophomore Elora Philippe — in a 25-14 loss in the opening set.
The Lady Crimson Tide battled much more effectively in the second set. Philippe had three aces in six serves, Cherichel Paul had a kill, and Romboli had four kills and a block. The Tidehad an early 7-6 lead, and were down 17-16, before falling 25-17.
Unfortunately, the third set was more like the first. The Lady Tide missed their first two serves and wound up down, 9-1. Cherichel Paul had a pair of kills, Romboli had three kills, and Damaceno had an ace, but Everett dropped the set, 25-11.
On Friday at non-league opponent Saugus, Everett was more competitive, but still fell 3-0. Six straight serves from Damaceno turned an early deficit into an 11-7 lead in the first set. Tayag had an ace in three serves that gave the Tide a 20-19 advantage, but they dropped the set 25-21.
In the second set, Romboli had three of her game-high eight kills and Damaceno had two aces in seven more serves, but after pulling within striking distance, 20-17, the Everett offense stalled, resulting in a 25-18 loss.
“We lost a bit of our focus to start the third set and went down 6-1 early,” said Fineran. “The wheels were coming off as we were down 20-12, but we showed real mettle fighting back.”
Damaceno and Romboli led the way, combining for two aces over eight serves. Romboli and Philippe each had a pair of kills, and Ros-Morales tied it with two serves, including an ace to draw even at 24-24.
However, Saugus claimed the next two points to win the set and the match.
“We lost 26-24, but my message to the team after the game was to remember the way we played in the end, and bring that same intensity to the start of the next match,” said Fineran.
Fineran and his crew were scheduled to hit the road for their next four matches vs. a quartet of GBL foes: This past Monday at Medford; today (Wednesday) at Revere; next Monday at Malden; and next Wednesday at Chelsea.
EHS golfers on the upswing
Although the Everett High golf team came up short in its two matches this past week with Lynn English last Tuesday on the latter’s home course at the Gannon golf course (62.5-9.5) and last Thursday to Somerville at Stoneham Oaks (52-20), EHS head coach Dave Peach is seeing some improved play from his squad.
“Overall we are still climbing the mountain towards winning, but we are consistently improving and are progressing in each match we play. So overall, the team is showing an uptrend in performance and skill level,” said Peach.
The Tide were scheduled to meet Lynn Classical yesterday (Tuesday) at Gannon and Revere tomorrow (Thursday) and Medford next Tuesday at Stoneham Oaks.
Boys soccer ties Methuen; hosts Somerville Fri. night
The Everett High boys soccer team earned a 1-1 tie with non-league opponent Methuen Saturday at Everett Stadium.
“It was a very intense game, and at times got very scrappy, with both teams being aggressive, but the boys were holding their own,” said EHS head coach Rodney Landaverde.
“We had a goal taken away early in the first half, but the boys continued to make dangerous opportunities all game,” Landaverde continued. “We started moving the ball much cleaner and sharper in the second half.”
However, Methuen broke the deadlock when Everett tried to dribble from the back, Methuen scrambled for the ball and got off a shot that the Everett goalkeeper could not get out in time.
However, the visitors’ lead only lasted for about 10 minutes when sophomore Jason Santos played a precise through-ball to senior Gabriel Garcia on the left wing, from where Gabriel was able to get a shot off to level the game.
“For the remainder of the second half, the boys held the defense down and kept Methuen at bay, ending the game at 1-1,” added Landaverde.
Last Tuesday, the Tide traveled to face undefeated Revere, the defending Greater Boston League (GBL) champion. Everett had a strong first half, netting the first goal early on by junior Whitney Pereira, who ripped a 25-yard shot for a 1-0 Tide lead at the half.
Everett maintained its momentum after the intermission, but committed a penalty that allowed the Patriots to tie the game on a PK. Revere then quickly scored another goal to make it 2-1 early in the second half. The teams continued to battle back and forth until with about 12 minutes left, sophomore Daniel Henriquez got his first opportunity and sent a cross from the right wing that connected with Garcia, who sent a header into the back of the Revere net to tie the game.
The contest went down to the wire and Revere connected up top in the final three minutes to snag the 3-2 victory.
The following day the Tide traveled to GBL rival Lynn English for a match under the lights at Manning Field. Everett got off to a slow start. The Tide had some chances to take an early lead, but only finished one opportunity when Garcia sent a cross and the Lynn English defense deflected the ball that resulted in an own-goal.
“The second half was somewhat controlled, but our legs began to give and our passing and formation shape began to crumble, leaving opportunities for Lynn English to take advantage,” said Landaverde.
The Bulldogs tied the contest and then went up 2-1. Everett continued to attack, but toward the end of the game the Tide gave up a free kick on which Lynn English was able to connect to seal the 3-1 win.
“Recent results have not served justice to the quality of the team and I am confident over the next couple of days that we will find better rhythm and go into these next few games much sharper and focused on our principles and we will improve our results,” said Landaverde. “My assistant coach Andres Ruiz and I are proud of all the players who continue to show up each day and put their best foot forward to improve. We are ambitious with what is to come.”
Landaverde and his crew, who stand at 1-4-2 on the season, were scheduled to meet GBL foe Lynn Classical yesterday (Tuesday) and will host GBL rival Somerville Friday at 6:00 under the lights at Everett Stadium. The Tide will entertain GBL opponent Medford next Tuesday afternoon at 7-Acre Park.