Swampscott girls soccer team breaks through against Danvers

SWAMPSCOTT – To quote a Swampscott parent at the end of a most exciting girls’ soccer game, “Pigs fly, Hell has frozen over and Swampscott has defeated Danvers in soccer.”‘Tis true. The final score, after Tuesday’s game behind the new high school, was 2-1, Blue Blue in this battle between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Northeastern Conference South.Danvers came into the game at 11-1 (10-1 NEC) and sitting atop the standings of the highly competitive division, where most of the heavy hitters in the NEC reside.Danvers’ only loss was to Peabody. Coach Jimmy Hinchion was cautiously optimistic coming into Tuesday’s game.”We beat them the first game of the year at our place,” he said. “They have been coming like the wind. They handed Peabody its only loss last week. They are a team to watch.”Coach Fred Day brought the Big Blue into the game with a record of 6-2-3 (6-2-2 NEC.”It has been eight or nine years since we have beaten Danvers,” Day said. “They always find a way to beat us, even in games when we had the lead, they managed to pull it out.”In a tourney game, we had the lead, they tied the game and beat us in a shoot-out.”Tuesday’s game started with neither team in control. Both teams made excellent attacks and both defenses were up to the task of shutting the strikers down. In the 13th minute, Danvers struck. Lindsey Dattoli had a dead-ball kick from 35 yards out and her shot hit someone in front of the net that was deflected by Swampscott keeper Tara Nimkar and bounced to Ashley Sullivan who had an open net and only one Big Blue defender in her way.Sullivan beat the defender and put it into the net to give Danvers a 1-0 lead.The remainder of the first half was what you would expect from two excellent well-coached teams. Both keepers, Nimkar and Caraline Moholland of Danvers were outstanding. Both made several saves that were labeled for the back of the net. The intensity of the game grew as the whistle blew to end the half. To note, the first half was a very hard hitting clean game with very few fouls whistled by the officials.Swampscott has been a second-half club all season. A week ago, the Big Blue played St. Mary’s at Manning Field. During the first half they were listless. But in the second half, they played like tigers. Today we had a repeat performance.It took the Big Blue only two minutes of the second half to tie up the game. Allison Colson carried the ball deep into the Danvers area and crossed the ball to Kellie McHugh who beat Moholland high to the top left cornet and after 42 minutes of play the score was tied at 1-1.The Big Blue came alive and swarmed all over the Falcon defenders and they were rewarded 10 minutes later when Sophomore Casey Connolly received a pass in the right top corner of the area and fed Marissa Gambale, who blasted a rocket over the Danvers keeper to make the score 2-1, Swampscott at the 52nd minute.Swampscott was probably waiting for the other shoe to drop as Danvers unleashed a furious attack on Nimkar. Big Blue defenders Colson, Sarah Burnham and Monique Bleau – along with Nimkar – held the fort for the remaining 22 minutes.The closest Danvers would come was in the 64th minute when Danvers co-captain Ashley Sullivan got in alone on Nimkar and her left-footed shot missed the right post by inches.Swampscott had a chance to ice the game in the 71st minute when Big Blue midfielder co-captain Kellie McHugh was alone in front of the Danvers net and the Falcon keeper came up with a diving save. The game ended with no further action.”After the second goal they came on strong and almost tied it up. Swampscott played very well in the second half,” Hinchion said.Day spread the praise all over his team.”The keeper is a rookie. It’s her first year,,” he said. “The three defenders were outstanding. Skyler Sabbag at midfield is the glue that keeps them going.”Danvers drops to 11-2(10-2 NEC) and the Big Blue again qualifies for the State Tourney with a record of 7-2-3 (7-2-2 NEC). Danvers next game is