Falmouth Girls' Soccer Within A Win Of Qualifying For State Tournament

By: Rich Maclone
Published: 10/19/12

 With their second win in a row, the Falmouth High School girls’ soccer team is feeling much better about itself, and its chances of qualifying for the MIAA state tournament. On the strength of a 3-1 win on the road at Nauset on Wednesday afternoon, the Clippers improved to 8-6 overall. The team must now win one of its last four games to qualify for the state tournament.

Coach Gilbert said that he doesn’t want to just get into the tournament, though. “I hope we win them all,” he said. “We’re playing better, it could happen.”

Tory Sciarrillo and Shauna McManus both factored in a pair of goals as Falmouth upended the Lady Warriors on the road. A Sciarrillo throw in early in the game led directly to the game’s first goal as the senior defender heaved one toward the net that Ally Dalton came down with, corralled and blasted into the net to put FHS on top 1-0 just 3:12 into the contest.

FHS went on to double that lead in the final minute of the first half. With time winding down on the period, and FHS awarded a corner kick, McManus served a pretty ball out to the front of the Nauset net. Aoife Callinan, who has been a standout in the midfield over the past few games, went airborne and headed the ball by the keeper to double the Clippers’ advantage just before the break.

Immediately following the intermission, Nauset got one back with a bit of a break. Kelly Ferreira, who came in to relieve Maddie Scavotto in the net for the second half, lunged after a ball on the ground and appeared to keep it from crossing the goal line. The referee ruled that the ball had crossed before Ferreira pulled it back, and that cut the Clippers’ lead in half.

It wouldn’t matter, though, as the FHS defense was stellar the rest of the way and did not allow any more real pressure. Sarah Bunker, Alexa Panepinto, Sciarrillo and Katie O’Sullivan combined to keep Nauset from getting much of anything accomplished. Callinan, Becca Cox, Michaela Moran, Nicole Gonsalves, Haley Gagnon and Sam Theroux were all strong in the midfield and also added to the pressure against the Warriors, with forward Alexa Johnson giving the opposition fits up front throughout as well.

Falmouth added a big insurance goal with 12 minutes to play that sealed the deal. McManus, who leads FHS in scoring, ran onto a nice long pass by Sciarrillo, made a move and then bested the goalie to make it a 3-1 game.

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