Girls' Soccer Bust Out Against Woburn

Belmont High Girls' Soccer Head Coach Paul Graham said all his team had to do was heed his advice.

"I kept telling them to go to the outside," he said at halftime of the match with Woburn High School under the lights at Harris Field on Monday, Sept. 24. He noted that of Belmont's four goals in the first 40 minutes, all came from plays that began from the wings.

"All they had to do was listen to me," he said.

And for the first time this season, Belmont's scorers came out of hiding to strike for a five-spot while senior goaltender Maria-Alice Manetas pitched a third consecutive shut out as the Marauders have risen to 5-2-0 in the Middlesex League Big School Division with their 5-0 victory.

After its own shocking 4-2 loss to Arlington earlier in the month, Belmont has won three in a row, including its 1-0 home win over league leader Winchester, a second 1-0 away victory over Reading and last night's game against the Tanners.

Belmont got on the score board early and often as they scored three in the first 15 minutes, starting in the fourth minute as Sophia Eschenbach-Smith dug the ball from goalkeeper's Courtney Davis' grasp and slotted the ball into the net.

Woburn then picked up their play with freshman Morgan Bishop feeding senior forward Allie Santullo whose shot from inside the box was saved by Manetas 10 minutes in.

But the game was soon but out of reach when the Marauders' scored twice in a three minute stretch as Corrine Ognibeni's powerful header from an Eschenbach-Smith centering pass gave Belmont a 2-1 lead with 27 minutes left in the half and Erin McLaughlin – who scored the game winner at Reading – streaked in to punch home a Julia Russo corner that was misjudged by Davis at the 24 minute mark.

Still Manetas had to be on her toes, coming out several times to grab passes and shots from the speedy Sachem forward line including charging out to challenge junior Olivia Schwartz whose shot barely missed the right post.

Already equaling the most goals the team scored in the season so far, Russo – who would finish the game with two goals and an assist scoring in the final minutes of the second half – added the fourth of the half with a final minute strike.

Next up for the Marauders is a Saturday away fixture against always strong Lexington in what looks like a rain-filled encounter.