Swampscott girls lose to Wakefield in first round of state tourney, 1-0

SWAMPSCOTT – It was deja vu all over again ?almost. Last year, Swampscott lost to Wakefield in the opening round of the Division 2 North tourney in a shootout. This year, the Big Blue lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to the same Warrior team. Swampscott was the No. 5 seed with a 14-4-4 record while Wakefield was the No. 12 seed with a record of 8-5-5.Wakefield had two advantages in the game: Its team speed was better than the Big Blue, and it was better in the air. As the game wore on, the Warriors’ speed enabled them to win most 50-50 balls and they were able to blunt many Swampscott crosses in front of the Wakefield net with head balls that they cleared away from keeper Erin Jackson.The only score of the game came in the 14th minute when Wakefield striker Laura Spang fired the ball towards the low left corner. Swampscott keeper Tara Nimkar dove and made the save, but was unable to control the rebound, and the ball bounced to Warrior midfielder Shannon Cronin, who one-timed another shot towards the far right side of the Swampscott net. The ball hit the inside of the post and bounced into the net; this put Wakefield in front, 1-0.Swampscott’s best opportunity came in the 65th minute. Swampscott’s top gun, Marissa Gambale, was sent in alone down the left wing. She cut to the right as she came into the area. Wakefield’s all-league keeper, Jackson, edged off her line, and as Gambale shot the ball, she dove to her right and was able to deflect the shot with her legs. The ball bounced harmlessly across the goalmouth, where the Wakefield defender cleared it. Swampscott’s captains, Gambale, Skylar Sabbag and Sarah Burnham, along with keeper Nimkar and Megan Dawley, are the only seniors on the Big Blue team.”They will be missed next year,” said coach Fred Day. He was philosophical after the game, saying, “We had our chances, we never quit. The Wakefield goal happens in soccer. They were just a little bit quicker than we were. Now we start preparing for next year.”Wakefield moves on to the quarterfinals Tuesday, when it plays North Andover.