Girls' Soccer: Marauders Miss Out on Postseason with 2-1 Loss at Winchester

Belmont High School Girls' Soccer Head Coach Paul Graham stood before his heartbroken team on the pitch at Winchester's Knowlton Stadium after losing to Winchester High, 2-1, in the final game of the regular season.

And for the first time in three decades, the match Friday, Oct. 25, would be the final one of the season as Belmont missed out on making the post-season sectionals tournament.

"Hold your heads up. There's nothing to be sad about this year," said Graham in the fading light of a cool and bright autumn day. He spoke about a senior class that many of the players won two North Division 2 championships, an achievement only one other team, Medfield, can claim.

"You should be proud of what you've done this year," he said.

In a year that showed some promise (beginning 2-0-3) ended one point short of making it through into the playoffs as Belmont could not break through on offense, scoring only one goal in the final two games.

The game, against its traditional arch rival Winchester, was much more of a low-key event as both teams did not field dominate teams this years. But for Belmont, there was an urgency to put enough pressure on the Sachems offense to limit their shots and look for breaking forwards on the offensive end. 

And after 40 minutes, Belmont was doing enough to secure the point, holding Winchester to a scoreless tie at halftime through the efforts of center defender Lucia Guzikowski who controlled the back and chased down numerous attackers coming off the wing. 

The second half had Belmont pressuring Winchester in their zone when a clearing pass found junior sub Missy Riccio on the break in the middle of the field. There was a collision of Riccio, a Belmont defender and Marauders' junior goalkeeper Linda Herlihy and the ball squeezed out of the group and bounced into the net eight minutes into the second half.

Down 1-0, Belmont began playing their best of the game, stringing together passes down the wings and using freshman midfielder Ava Colasin's outstanding footwork to create opening for shot, the most promising being sophomore midfielder Meggie MacAulay's that just flew over the crossbar from just inside the 18-meter box. 

As Belmont pressed up towards Winchester's goal, it allowed openings for counter attacks which the Sachems used to seal the game as junior Alex Curtin took a pass from Maddie Marx and slotted a shot passed a diving Herlihy with five-and-a-half minutes left in the game to provide a two goal cushion.

Then less than minute later, Belmont junior midfielder Lizzie Frick powered a header into the net to give the Marauders the slimiest of hopes of a miraculous comeback. 

But Winchester's midfield and defenders kept Belmont at bay for the final four minutes for the win and an end to Belmont's playoff streak. 

Speaking to his seniors, Graham called them "one pretty good class" that should be proud of their four years on the team. And with 17 underclassmen coming back in 2014, "it leads me to believe that we'll be back on top very soon."