Girls soccer sends Cambridge packing

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John Vassiliou

“WA” on the side of Westford Academy.

Griffin Parker, Social Media Editor

The WA Girls Varsity Soccer team beat Cambridge Rindge & Latin Thursday night by a score of 3-0.

In the early minutes of the game, both teams had very strong defense, and neither team could get any shots. WA took a few long shots, all of which went far over the goal, some of which through the field goal behind the net. Juniors Shadee Saberi and Dominique Paglia sailed multiple shots over the net.

Both teams started off the game very physical. Players were getting knocked down left and right, and sophomore Tamar Almasian ran through multiple Cambridge midfielders.

The WA bench kept the field loud, with yells of “Let’s go WAGS!” every few seconds throughout the game. The Cambridge bench, however, was quiet through the game, even before goals were scored.

Senior Sydney Jones got called for multiple questionable fouls early on, and she started getting angry and aggressive, and for a couple minutes nothing and no one got past her.

The first goal was scored 13 minutes and 27 seconds into the first half by senior Alexandria Giovino off a corner kick. Sophomore Carly Davey kicked the ball into play, and Giovino stopped the ball and kicked past the keeper into the net. This goal got WA even more fired up then they already were, and they kept that momentum through the rest of the game.

Towards the end of the first half, WA kept the ball in the offensive third, preventing Cambridge from clearing the ball and going on the offensive. The first half ended with WA ahead both on the scoreboard and in spirit.

WA started off the second half strong, with Giovino scoring her second goal just 5 minutes and 45 seconds into the half. The second goal was scored off of a cross from Paglia, and Giovino was able to tap it in the net to put WA up 2-0.

Less than two minutes later, Jones committed a penalty inside the goal box, leading to a penalty shot for Cambridge. Sophomore Kiani Barnard-Pratt was playing keeper, and she made an amazing save, diving to the far post. Her teammates all cheered really loudly, and the ten players on the field rushed her.

It took another ten minutes for a goal to be scored, when sophomore Grace Carroll scored on the same play as Giovino’s second goal at 56:36. This goal put WA up 3-0, a lead they held for the rest of the game.

Cambridge got very physical towards the end of the game, leading to a Cambridge player getting injured at 74:25. Barnard-Pratt dove to stop a ball that came to her, and a Cambridge forward tried to jump over Barnard-Pratt, but wasn’t able to, and injured her leg.

WA passed the ball around and kept it away from Cambridge for the last few minutes, and the final whistle blew after around three minutes of stoppage time.

WA keeps their hold atop the DCL, and are looking ahead to the MIAA tournament at the end of October and beginning of November.