Tide girls soccer regroups as a team to win two straight against Malden, Chelsea

Everett will play host to Lynn Classical Tuesday, Somerville Thursday at 7-Acre

By Joe McConnell

After starting the season with three straight losses, the Everett High School girls soccer team (2-1 in the Greater Boston League, 2-3 overall) have seemingly turned it around quickly with GBL wins over Malden (5-2) and Chelsea (6-4) last week.

In the Sept. 13 edition of the Everett Advocate, coach Dom Persuitte said that he thought his team just might be on the cusp of winning, despite the slow start. His clairvoyance was spot-on, maybe sooner than expected.

One week ago, he said: “This was another tough loss (to Methuen, 7-1), but I’m seeing signs of improvement.”

That loss to Methuen was on Sept. 7, but just three days later, the Everett girls reversed the trend quickly with a rather convincing win over the Golden Tornadoes, 5-2.

“(This) was a massive win (for us against Malden). The team was working hard and together in this game (to secure the first win),” said Persuitte.

Yelsa Garcia netted all five goals, two of them on penalty kicks, to help lead her Tide teammates to victory. Luna Maselli and Alondra Flores provided assists on Garcia’s three other tallies.

Goalies Emilia Maria-Babcock and Ashley Heath split the time in net, and did a great job holding their Malden counterparts at bay, according to Persuitte.

The veteran coach also praised the contributions of Flores that helped secure the win, saying, “on top of her assist to Garcia, Flores stepped up and played with heart and aggression.”

Varsity newcomer Gisele Erazo and Connie Paz-Hernandez, a couple of wingers, were also singled out by the coach after this game, along with freshman Leilany Rodriguez, who played her defensive role on the team very well.

Alongside Flores, freshman Rosa Romero did her part to control the midfield. Sofia Arana-Quintanilla, as the team’s designated set play kicker and left back, was also “phenomenal” in this game, said Persuitte.

On Sept. 12, the Tide girls kept up their winning ways against Chelsea, 6-4.

“Chelsea gave us a good run for our money, but we came out on top as a team,” said Persuitte.

Persuitte credits the bench players for this win. “I moved many players into different positions (to get more involved in the game),” he said.

Maria-Babcock netted her first goal of the season from Flores, before closing out this game in net.

Arana-Quintanilla was credited with her first penalty kick in high school, while Garcia paced the offensive attack once again with four more goals, one on a breakaway and another on a deflection off the Chelsea goalie.

Flores had one of her best games as a Tide player, according to Persuitte, while taking charge of the defensive midfield.

The Tide girls have since gone up against Revere (Sept. 17) and Lynn English (Sept. 19) this week after press deadline, before hosting Lynn Classical Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 7-Acre, starting at 4:15 p.m. Somerville will then come to town two days later to play the Tide at the same time and place.