THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, October 18, 2019 Page 15 Saugus girls get back on winning track Late Salem scoring spree sinks Sachems By Greg Phipps I n a game where they seemed to be controlling the territorial play for most of the contest, the Saugus High School boys’ soccer team was stunned by a late eruption from the Salem Witches and thus ended up on the short end of a 5-1 final on Tuesday at Anna Parker Field. The final result was not indicative of how the game played out for the first 60-plus minutes. Saugus had numerous quality scoring bids but couldn’t convert. Meanwhile, Salem grabbed a 1-0 first-half lead and then retook the edge, 2-1, later in the half when it was awarded a penalty kick and made good on it. That Salem PK score came minutes after Saugus’s James Rodrigues had tallied unassisted to tie the game. It would turn out to be the Sachems’ lone goal. Ben Tapia-Gately had apparently evened the contest, but his goal into an open net was disallowed, and the Sachems trailed, 2-1, at the break. The home team stormed SaSaugus’s Ben Tapia-Gately tries to get off a shot while surrounded by Salem defenders on Tuesday. lem’s end for the first 20 minutes of the second half but failed to notch the equalizer. The contest then took a major turn in Salem’s favor after a scuffle broke out in front of the Saugus goal. A short delay ensued for the referees to square away the situation. “I think we had outplayed them up that point [the fight]. We had our chances but couldn’t score,” Saugus head coach Josh Hickey said after the game. “After the incident we got demoralized a little bit and they took advantage.” When play resumed, the Saugus forward James Rodrigues heads for the ball in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to Salem at Anna Parker Field. (Advocate Photos by Greg Phipps) Witches proceeded to tally three times in a span of 10 minutes to pull away to victory. The defeat was the fifth straight for Saugus, which dropped to 3-10 overall and likely (but not mathematically) out of the running for a spot in this year’s playoffs. The Sachems had qualified for postseason play the last two years. “It’s going to be tough to make it in now, we’ll basically have to win out from here,” acknowledged Hickey. “We’ll keep playing hard and battling.” Though Saugus did carry the play for most of the game, Salem did have its opportunities. Sachems goalie Jacob Goodwin was called upon to make several tough saves, especially when Salem engineered its late offensive surge. Saugus forward Jordan Morris was one of four goal scorers in last week’s 4-0 win over Lynn English. (Advocate Photo by Greg Phipps) By Greg Phipps H itting a bump in the road during the middle of the Saugus’s Nick Alves duels a Salem player for ball possession on Tuesday. season, the Saugus girls’ soccer team appeared to get back on track with recent road wins over Lynn English and Salem. The Lady Sachems blanked English, 4-0, last Wednesday, Oct. 9, and edged the Lady Witches, 2-1, on Tuesday. The wins improved Saugus’s record to 8-6, with a postseason bid seemingly right around the corner. Head coach Chris Coviello thought his team executed well under rainy conditions in last week’s win over English at Manning Field in Lynn. “We did a good job transitioning offensively,” he told the press after the game. “We played a little faster than they did at times. That helped. But, overall – weather conditions and everything – I thought we moved the ball well.” Unlike the stretch of the season where they were struggling to score, the Lady Sachems made good on their offensive chances against English. Shaylin Groark deflected home a shot by Jeimmy Monroy-Rodriguez for a 1-0 lead. Brianna Giardullo then scored on a nice rush through the English defense to give Saugus a 2-0 lead at the half. Saugus added two more scores in the second period. Jordan Morris connected early in the half, and Jillian Ricupero closed out the scoring for the visitors. The Lady Sachems tallied twice against Salem on Tuesday at Bertram Field, and it was enough to earn win number eight. Saugus needs just one more victory to qualify for the state tournament. The Lady Sachems host Somerville this Friday at 4 p.m. and entertain Medford on Monday.
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