The Vineyard girls soccer team is displaying its dominance heading into the home stretch of the season. They’ve won five in a row by a 14-1 margin, and their 11 wins top the Cape and Islands league.
The Vineyard girls soccer team is displaying its dominance heading into the home stretch of the season. They’ve won five in a row by a 14-1 margin, and their 11 wins top the Cape and Islands league.
While their offense is surely impressive, the Vineyarders’ defense has been the story of their season. Opposing teams are averaging less than a goal a game as freshman keeper Lucy Doyle has eight shutouts on the year. MV’s back line of Mackenna Metell, Avery Conley, Ella Ehrman and Esme Colon routinely have their opponents’ offense in fits as their last three wins have all been by way of the goose egg.
On Tuesday, the girls braved the remnants of the nor’easter and defeated the Nauset Warriors 1-0 on the Cape. The deciding goal was scored via a penalty kick in the final stages of the match. Laney Light started the sequence by intercepting a clearing pass and sending the ball to Elle Mone, who found a cutting Iyla Story behind Nauset’s defense for a shot on net. Story was tackled before she could tee off though, and Mone stepped in to take the penalty. The senior captain struck a low rocketing shot beneath the Warrior keeper’s arms, and that was all MV needed to secure victory.
The girls are now 11-3-1. They play Sandwich at home on Thursday at 3 p.m., then Falmouth also at home next Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.
Reese Malowski stays strong on defense.
Reese Malowski stays strong on defense.
Meanwhile, back on the Island, the boys soccer team also took on Nauset Tuesday and in the spitting, misty rain the Vineyarders emerged cold, soaked and victorious by a 2-1 margin.
At halftime, MV was down 1-0 but fought back with two goals from Chris Marcal within less than a minute of each other to seal the win. It was the second in a row for purple; they defeated Dennis-Yarmouth last Wednesday 4-0. Against the Dolphins, Victor Daghetti started the scoring for the Vineyarders off a corner kick and then continued to dominate, setting his teammates up for scores off numerous steals and interceptions.
The boys sit at 8-4-2 and finish the regular season with four games on the road against Sandwich, East Bridgewater, Falmouth and Nantucket. With a few more wins, they could be positioned for a top-20 seed in the upcoming division three playoffs.
The regular season finishes with both the girls and boys traveling to Nantucket on Oct. 25 for the Golden Anchor match. If the girls run the table, they will likely be positioned for a top-25 seed in the division three playoffs.
In golf, the playoffs have already begun and Jacoby Light represented the Vineyard at the division two south sectionals. Light tied for eighth overall with an 80, eight over par at the Lebaron Hills Country Club in Lakeville. The round qualified Light for the finals held on Oct. 20 at Foxborough Country Club.
Field hockey team has its eyes on a playoff spot.
Field hockey team has its eyes on a playoff spot.
Field hockey is currently just on the outside looking in at the playoff seeding. With five games to go, they need to win two more to at least earn a spot in a play-in game. Lately, they’ve been in some very close battles; they defeated Sturgis East last Monday 2-0, and Milford 1-0 on Saturday. In the final stretch of the season, they will test their mettle against teams in Falmouth and Nauset that soundly defeated the Vineyarders in the first two games of the season. However, this MV team has greatly improved as the season has gone on, and an upset over the Clippers or Warriors is not out of the picture. It would also greatly improve their playoff standing, but first they travel to the Cape on Friday for another bout with Sturgis East.
On Saturday, the cross country team competed in the annual Bob Glennon Twilight Invitational at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds in East Falmouth. In an enormous field of runners from throughout the Commonwealth, MV’s best results were from Luis Costa, who finished the boys 5K varsity track in 16:45.8 for 35th; Nevah Fitzgerald, finishing the girls 5K varsity track in 22:03.9 for 78th; Enzo Reis, finishing the 5k junior varsity track in 18:58.4 for 41st; and Robert Riis, finishing the sophomore 5K race in 18:54.19 for 39th.
Then, on Tuesday, the Vineyarders raced through a muddy, rainy state forest track against Falmouth. Ben Fuller led the way for MV’s boys, finishing in 17:59, followed by Costa at 18:11.39 and Nicholas Gomes at 19 flat. For the girls, Fitzgerald was the top finisher at 22:30.84, and Maddie Coulter finished in 25:42.44. This weekend, the team will run in the 64th annual Catholic Memorial Invitational at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston.
It’s been tough sledding for the football team in their last two matchups. The Vineyarders got walloped by Sandwich on the Cape 36-0, then Falmouth came to the Island and dominated 48-7.
On Friday, they will be in Eastham to face a winless Nauset team that cannot be overlooked. It’s an opportunity to right the ship for MV, but the Warriors will certainly be hungry for their first win. The following week, on Oct. 24th, Dennis-Yarmouth comes to the Island for the final game before the Island Cup. Nauset and D-Y are larger schools with historically good football programs. A win against either before the biggest game of the year would be a huge momentum builder. And don’t look now, but Nantucket is undefeated with an offense that’s averaging almost 40 a game.
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