PEABODY — Heading into Wednesday’s Division 3 Round of 32 matchup between No. 16 Bishop Fenwick and No. 17 St. Mary’s, the stage was set for another battle between archrivals who split their regular-season meetings — each winning by a single goal.
This time, the stakes were higher and so was the intensity.
The Spartans came away with final bragging rights, edging Fenwick 1-0 in another physical, hard-fought contest that lived up to the rivalry’s reputation. And with seasons on the line, every tackle, clearance, and sideline chase carried a little extra weight.
“I asked the girls to keep it tight at the start because the last two times we played them, we gifted them three goals,” said St. Mary’s coach Paddy Curran. “We were unbelievable at the start — played exactly how we wanted to. We just needed that one goal and when we got it, it was a relief. I wish we had more to show for our possession in the first half.”
That goal came in the 29th minute, when senior Sophie Skabeikis unleashed a rocket from 29 yards out that found the top corner to give St. Mary’s a 1-0 lead.
“Sophie is just such a talented player,” Curran said. “She can score from anywhere with her left or right. You hope she can do it — and, again, she came up front and got the goal for us.”
Down a goal at halftime, the Crusaders came out swinging in the second half, pinning St. Mary’s deep in its own end and testing the Spartans’ defense with repeated shots.
“I think we outplayed them,” said Fenwick coach Candice Dangora. “They got a really great opportunity and put one away. I felt like we pressed them tremendously in the second half and created chances. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t finish.”
One of those chances came early in the half when junior captain Reese Spurchise got on the end of a loose ball in the box, but her shot sailed just over the bar.
Despite the pressure, the Spartans’ back line stood tall. Curran credited his defenders and goalkeeper for preserving the clean sheet.
“They were huge,” he said. “I tell them all the time: Clean sheets are what win games. Eleni (Echevarria) was awesome at the back and it was great to have Angelina Owumi back. We missed her all season while she was injured. All four of our defenders stepped up today.”
Though Fenwick’s season came to a close, Dangora was upbeat after her first season leading the program.
“This is my first year with them and I’m super proud of who we are,” she said. “We finished 11-5-2 — it’s the best record they’ve had since 2019. I’m losing six [seniors], but I’m gaining a lot. I’m excited to get back to work and see what we can do next year.”
Dangora praised her seniors for setting the tone during her first season.
“My seniors have been true unsung heroes. They’re just great people. They win with class and lose with dignity, and they lead that way. They’ve set the example for what it means to be a good teammate. I’m going to miss them tremendously.”
St. Mary’s will face top-ranked Medfield Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
“We’ve got nothing to lose,” Curran said. “I told the girls to go out, have fun, and enjoy it. Maybe we’ll be the sleeper and can cause an upset. If not, it’s been a fabulous season. We have nothing to lose and nothing to prove. I just hope they can enjoy Saturday even more than today.”
