LYNNFIELD — Battling a driving rain for nearly the entire game, the Lynnfield girls soccer team took no prisoners Thursday, shutting out visiting Ipswich 4-0 at Pioneer Stadium to improve to 6-2.
Junior Kaylee Barrett had a big day with a goal and two assists. Junior Ava Damiani (assist), junior Giada Antidormi (assist) and freshman Bella Clancy also scored. Junior Sofia Giardina notched two assists.
Sophomore Sabrina Hayman, in her first varsity start, earned the shutout in goal.
“It was a good win for sure,” Pioneers’ coach Mark Vermont said. “We have that three-headed offensive monster with Damiani, Antidormi and Barrett. And then Clancy popping another one in. That’s great work by the offense. Bella Sykes is also pulling some strings up front. It was tough to move the ball with those conditions.”
Despite the loss, Ipswich coach Hannah Weagle was pleased with the Tigers’ effort.
“We always know this is a very skilled team and well organized and coached so we needed to keep our shape defensively. They got four goals, obviously, but we were just trying to do our best to keep the ball in front of us,” Weagle said. “We’re still growing and learning, so we’re okay with that.”
The Pioneers wasted no time getting on the board, scoring twice in the first 13 minutes of the game. Damiani (from Giardina) broke the ice a little more than seven minutes in. Barrett followed about five minutes later (from Damiani and Antidormi) to double the lead to 2-0. Clancy made it a 3-0 game with about two minutes left in the half.
If the Tigers had any hope of getting back in the game, they were dashed by Antidormi, who scored a back-breaker just 17 seconds into the second half. Barrett and Giardiana picked up assists on the play.
“That goal was definitely a killer,” Weagle said. “We missed some opportunities that you just have to put away but we didn’t make them. But that goal definitely put the game out of reach.”
“To pop that in seconds into the second half was just a good goal,” Vermont said. “And that’s what we said at halftime. Our goal was just to get the next goal and she didn’t waste any time. It was great and just a well-executed play.”
Vermont had high praise for Hayman, especially considering the rain.
“Sabrina was ready to go. We needed her to play today with Victoria (Minor) being injured,” Vermont said. “She played a clean game, but there a couple of times with free kicks and other situations early on that she needed to, and she made the plays and that’s always tough with conditions like we had today. She kept her body in front of the ball and we needed that.”
Weagle highlighted the play of Tigers’ keeper Miranda Baran (6 saves).
“She definitely made some good plays coming out and punching out those corner kicks,” Weagle said.
Since giving up three goals in a 3-0 loss to Newburyport on opening day, the Pioneers have allowed only three goals in their last seven games. The win against the Tigers was their third straight and six in the last seven games, five of them coming via shutouts.
“The defense is playing very well and we are getting good goalkeeping,” Vermont said. “They’re working hard and making some smart plays. Today, Jordan Calichman is starting to play every minute. Abby Tsatskis, Sofia Giardina, Adriana Regitano, played well. Gianna Veiga had some nice minutes in there as did Sarah Mitchell. Those are really the six in the back.”
Both Lynnfield and Ipswich’s next game is on Tuesday at 4 p.m. The Tigers (1-5-2) will host Georgetown, while the Pioneers will travel to Newburyport, a team that shutout Lynnfield in their opener 3-0.
“They’re in first place so they are the hunted,” Vermont said. “We’ll have to come out after them. In that first game, Newburyport really came out fast and were charged up. They won a lot of the 50-50 balls. We made a couple of mistakes and they capitalized on them like a good team does. I thought we played very well in the second half and had some chances, so hopefully we can come out and do that in the next one.”
