~ SHS Sports Roundup ~ Saugus girls’ soccer team nets postseason win on PKs

The Saugus High School girls’ soccer team battled North Reading in the Division 3 state tourney opener to a 0-0 draw at the end of regulation and two overtimes. It found the net at the right time – on penalty kicks. The Sachems won, 4-3, on a winner-take-all, penalty kick shootout. Shay Sewell, Veronica Ortega, Madison Botta and Natalie Justice got the goals.

Saugus’ Tori Carter made a handful of saves in the game.

“Our midfield and defenders did a fantastic job of not allowing many opportunities,” Saugus assistant coach Brianna Alimonti said. “This includes an incredible performance by senior captain Violet Hawley. Shay Sewell came in clutch with our play of the game. A player chopped Tori, and Shay was behind her as she denied it with a header out of the box. All these girls played with everything they had to give. Their hearts were in it.”

“We held our own for the entire game, and we didn’t let up,” senior captain Hawley said. “Even though we were tired especially with double overtime we came out with more intensity and we didn’t let up. Our defense was unstoppable the entire game, especially with Tori’s saves. North Reading is a good team, and they are very fast. However, our defense managed to shield the ball out multiple times and when they had a chance to shoot, Tori’s amazing saves kept us in that game.”

When the team got to PKs, Hawley said she was nervous not knowing what was going to happen, but she had a lot of faith in Carter in net, and the girls the team chose to take kicks.

“Stakes were high but the energy the entire game was higher than ever before,” Hawley said.

Junior captain Botta said Saugus the whole game played really well on defense. “We didn’t let any shots up and when the other team had a chance our goalie was able to scoop up the ball,” Botta said. “The game was very even; both teams were physical and tactically good so it was an even battle.”

What was it like lining up and taking a PK shot in a postseason game?

“Being in the position to shoot PKs was very stressful cause anything could happen,” Botta said. “Especially taking one made me extremely nervous because North Reading’s goalie was very strong. The team really stuck through and put the ball in the back of the net. Credits to both teams because it was a hard fight and could’ve gone either way.”

Senior captain Madi Femino said the Sachems stayed strong and protected the house the whole game. “The defense and our goalie Tori had an amazing game,” Femino said. “We tried to capitalize on every offensive opportunity we were given. We just weren’t able to put the ball in the back of the net. We kept the pressure on them the whole game as they did on us. It was a very evenly matched game. The one thing we kept telling each other was let’s not get to PKs, but there we were. It was very stressful, but I knew we picked our shooters for a reason, and they got the job done. Very proud of our performance as a whole.”

Saugus was slated to take on No. 1 seeded Medfield in the next round (after Advocate press-time).