~ SHS Sachems Sports Round-Up ~

Saugus volleyball drops opener, rebounds  Saugus fell to Marblehead on the volleyball court to open the season, 3-0, but came back to top Salem, 3-0. The Sachems came out slow but picked it up in the final two sets against Marblehead. The final breakdown was 25-9, 25-23, 25-19.  “The first one was a little rough for us,” Saugus coach Mikayla Niles said. “First-game jitters but the second and third ones were really good. The girls really came out and it was back-and-forth, back-and-forth both the second and third set.”  Libero Ana Silva really stood out for Saugus. She was loud, talking and communicating and getting the girls hyped – staying in every play and doing everything she needed to do as a captain and role mode and leader, according to the coach.  Middle hitter Gia Saunders really stood as well. “She definitely broke through her shell this year,” Niles said, “and she was a powerhouse in the front for us. Everyone else played unbelievable, with everyone involved in every play constantly hitting their spots. The servers were really good. We only had a couple missed serves. Everything just really well came together. I’m very excited to see what the future has to hold for us.”  Against Salem, the Sachems won: 25-18, 25-23 and 28-26. Aly Mabee had a great game and was “all over the place hustling to every ball, and her setting was beautiful and her serves were awesome, too,” Niles said. “She was everywhere.”

Saugus field hockey falls in first few

  Saugus dropped its first few games. Masconomet beat Saugus, 11-0, and Gloucester topped Saugus, 8-0, while Saugus also fell to Beverly, 5-0. It was a tough start against two state-level teams from last year.

“Although the score sounds bad, the girls played well,” Saugus coach Barbara Guarente said of the Masco game.

Grace Fiore, a senior captain, was player of the game. She played center halfback.

Players of the game against Gloucester were Jessica Bremberg, senior captain, and senior Sam Murray. “Jess played all over the field,” Guarente said. “She was on our defensive and offensive corners. Senior Sam Murray also was player of the game. She had a great day on defense.”

The field hockey team lost to Beverly in what its coach called the best game of the season. “They came together as a family and played beautifully together,” Guarente said. “The communication between them was shown by the way they moved the ball down the field. It was the first game where we had four corners against the other team. Their push passes, cutting to the ball, sticks down on defense kept the game to 3-0 at half. In the third quarter no one scored. Not bad for a young team with only one sub. The game award goes to the entire team for a job well done.”

Saugus is a very young team. It has four eighth-graders playing on the varsity squad: Teaghan Arsenault, Angelina Dow, Julia Strout and Mia Shaudee. It also has two freshmen: Jordyn Ripley-Deminski and Sydney Ferreira. Sophomores are Cadence Coburn, Audrey Comeau and Anna Enwright. Sami Sarnacchiaro is the lone junior, and Jessica Bremberg, Grace Fiore, Samantha Murray and Bella Natalucci are the seniors.

The following players make up the junior varsity team: Jaelese Bellard, Ava Caron, Caden Diozzi, Jhessyca Dos Santos, Adila Dzindo, Meri Mogauro, Alanna Soto and Lilah Sullivan.

Saugus boys soccer evens up with Winthrop

  Saugus tied its opener with Winthrop, 1-1. Carlos Miranda scored the only goal in the first half.

Brian Pineda sent the ball over the defense, and Miranda made a run on the right side. He cut to the left and the keeper came at him. Miranda volleyed the ball past him and put it in on the lower left corner.

Saugus girls soccer powers past Winthrop

  Saugus girls soccer opened the season with an 8-1 win against Winthrop. Natalie Justice opened the season with the first goal three minutes in. Captain Madison Botta and captain Medi Femino both notched a hat trick. Juliana Powers also scored. The defense was led by Layla Manderson and captain Violet Hawley. Midfield was dominated by Veronica Ortega and Liliana Hernandez.