Sports: Boys', Girls' Soccer, Field Hockey All Late Against Minutemen

Lexington High School's sports teams go by the name the "Minutemen." 

But so far this week against three Belmont rivals, Lexington could have been renamed the "Julius Caesars'" because the squads in blue and gold could rightfully says after their matches: "Veni, vidi, vici"; "I came, I saw, I conquered."

(Although the correct usage would be, "Lexington venne, e vide e vinse.")

In the case of Belmont's Boys' soccer and Field Hockey squads, the losses – the penultimate matches of the regular season – knocked them out of contention to win their division of the Middlesex League championships.

But while those teams will not have the chance to raise a banner up onto the wall of Wenner Field House, the third squad, Girls' Soccer, now finds themselves having to go on the road Friday afternoon, Oct. 24, against arch rival Winchester High in the final game of the season attempting to earn at least a tie to make the playoffs. 

In addition, Belmont Girls' Swimming will visit Lexington with the Middlesex title on the line, which would be the Maruaders' first outright championship.

Field Hockey

Under dank skies on Tuesday, Oct. 22, Belmont's young squad met a Lexington team they shocked earlier in the season by defeating Lexington on their home field, 2-0.

Yet it became clear that the rematch would be different as the Minutemen scored on their first shot on their first of twelve penalty corners just 69 seconds into the game as Fiona Fitzgerald scored from several yards away. 

Belmont came back to threaten the Minutemen on a number of occasions led by senior midfielder Kendal Brown who repeatedly cut in front of passes to start the counter which usually resulted in Brown striking one of her trademark "ankle breaker" shots downfield. Fellow midfielder junior Suzanne Noone supplied the control of the ball to allow her teammates to head up field.

Belmont tied it up freshman phenom Anne Marie Habelow who scored the goal of the season, intercepting a ball at midfield, cutting by a midfielder, then twice dribbled the ball between the legs of the same defender while running at full speed. Hebelow continued down the middle of the pitch dodging Minuteman defenders before deking the goaltender and slamming home the shot at 5:37 left in the first stanza. 

But Lexington came quickly back, with Allie McNabb hitting in a shot from yet another penalty corner 100 seconds after Belmont's goal to go up 2-1 into the half. 

While Belmont started quickly in the second, poor marking allowed Lexington to string four passes together on the counter finding Joslyn Battite open on the left side of Belmont's net to score with 12 minutes remaining in the game.

"We performed well but they were the better team today," said Belmont's Head Coach Jessica Smith. "It's good that we played a good team before the playoffs because we can practice what we need to do offensively and on defense because each game we'll see teams just as good as Lexington." 

Belmont will play their final regular season game before the sectional playoffs – it will also be senior's night – at home Friday night at the unusually late 6:30 p.m. against Winchester. 

Boys' Soccer

Despite a long-distance goal from junior central defender Andrew Eurdolian, his first of the campaign, Belmont lost for the second time in as many games, as host Lexington dominated the first half and scored twice in the first 20 minutes to beat the Marauders, 2-1, Wednesday night, Oct. 23.

Eurdolian's goal, a rising rocket from beyond 25 meters that struck the bottom of the crossbar before slamming into the net, came in the final five minutes of the second half, 40 minutes that Belmont dominated yet could not find a way to knot up the Minutemen.

The loss all but secures the Middlesex League Liberty Division championship to Lexington and reduces Belmont's chances to host two playoff games. The Marauders will host Winchester Saturday morning, Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. to end the season.

Girls' Soccer

Belmont High Girls' Soccer Head Coach Paul Graham said he was extremely proud of his team after a 1-0 loss to Lexington at Harris Field under the light Wednesday night, Oct. 23. 

"We did pretty well after the half but we didn't have a whole lot of chances," said Graham. "They are a very good team especially how they pass the ball." 

And Graham had hopped the team could have earned a tie or win at home as the Marauders were one point away from moving into the North Division 2 sectionals, which Belmont is the defending champions. 

But Belmont will need to pick up the point against arch rival Winchester on Friday afternoon, Oct. 25 as a series of four pin-point passes, the last from Sarah Stigberg, sent junior Caroline Forte alone down the left side against Belmont's goalkeeper Linda Herlihy where she scored on a drive to the right side of the net.

"Nothing Linda could do on that one, and she was still hurting" after a collision resulting from a Lexington player pushing a Belmont defender into Herlihy, said Graham. 

While the Marauders took the play to the Minutemen in the final 40 minutes – led by senior captain and forward Gabby Joyal and junior midfielder Lizzie Ferrante – the team had just one strong shot on the Minuteman's sophomore goalkeep Reid Nichols.

Belmont will have midfield stalwart Erin McLaughlin back in the lineup against Winchester which just made the playoffs this week. The season's finale will be at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25.