LYNN — Sometimes a soccer game between two evenly-matched teams is fit to end in a tie. That was one of the themes of Wednesday evening’s 1-1 tie between the Classical and Malden girls soccer teams in a Northeastern Conference battle at Manning Field.
“We had two games against Malden last year,” Classical coach Mark Ierardi said. “They were a 1-0 loss at Malden and a 1-1 tie (at Manning). This year, same thing. All these games are going to be tight.”
“I could’ve told you before we even played this game that was the type of game it’d be,” Classical assistant coach Greg Ierardi said. “It was going to be a hard-fought battle. Good defense on both sides. For a team (Malden) that’s relatively new to the NEC, it’s becoming a little rivalry for us.”
The other underlying factor is Malden took a 1-0 lead but couldn’t push through on any of its chances after that, letting the Rams hang around until they netted the equalizer.
Senior Olivia Pedro, a Rams co-captain, scored Classical’s lone goal on a corner kick in the second half.
There weren’t many highlights in the first half. Malden came out the more aggressive team and after just over 13 minutes of scoreless soccer, the Golden Tornados found the back of the net on Beatriz De Oliveira Segato’s goal. A Classical corner kick with 19:15 left in the half was to no avail and the Rams didn’t generate many first-half chances after that. But they did dodge a few bullets.
Classical avoided a near own goal with 6:40 remaining and a Golden Tornados free kick with 3:05 on the clock was off the mark. Rams junior goalie Alexandra Show made a point-blank save with 2:12 left to keep Classical at a one-goal deficit. That’s where it stayed at halftime.
Malden drew a penalty kick three minutes into the second half but Jill Tramondozzi’s shot sailed high over the crossbar. As Malden struggled to put the Rams away, Classical kept fighting for the equalizer. The Rams finally tied the game with 16:01 remaining on Pedro’s corner kick. Pedro booted the ball into Malden goalie Audree Carleton’s hands but Carleton caught the ball and backtracked beyond the blue line after making the save. The referee awarded Pedro the goal and the Rams knotted the score at 1-1.
“We kept feeling like all we needed was one break,” Mark Ierardi said. “All we needed was one break. That was a huge break. We knew Malden’s interior defense was very good so we had to attack them from the outside. I thought for the most part we were able to do that. Malden’s defense was very good.”
Neither team could get much going after Pedro’s equalizer and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Both teams are 4-2-1 this season. Classical hosts Winthrop next Tuesday (4) at Manning.
“We have nine points now so we’re halfway to a playoff spot,” Mark Ierardi said. “We have to keep churning away. We have two home games next week. We have to take advantage of home field. Then we go on the road.”
