By Riley Fontana
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The Needham Rockets girls’ soccer took on the Winchester High School Red and Black in the second round of the Massachusetts Division 1 Playoffs. Winchester played hard and tried to stage a comeback but Needham came out on top, winning 2-0.
The first half proved the power Needham was capable of. Junior Jessica Brayer was a force on defense, pushing Winchester back into their own zone. Senior Emma Spear helped on defense, keeping Winchester from approaching the net. Senior Ava Chiappinelli blocked a massive shot on goal from the opposing offense and sent Needham back into the attacking zone. Brayer had an amazing shot on goal but Winchesters' goalie turned her away, Senior Callie McCarthy helped to keep the offense strong and in front of the net. Needham netted their first goal with 18:10 left on the clock, scored by Junior Hannah Levine. The second and final goal for Needham was scored by Freshman Sydney Kalaw, with 9:07 left in the half.
Winchester stepped up there in the second half, trying to stop Needham from scoring again. With 28:40 left in the game, Winchester was able to score their first goal causing Needham to step up their fight. Sophomore Isabella Marino got between passes made by Winchester, throwing off their plays. Junior Michelle Faynstein fought with Winchester's defense to keep control of the ball and give Needham more scoring opportunities. Chiappinelli put up more hard defense, keeping shots from reaching Senior goalie Natalia Ly. Senior Kate O’Nuallain led the offense, pushing the ball into scoring territory.
This win over Winchester put Needham in the final eight teams left in the playoffs. The Needham Rockets girls' soccer take on The Bishop Feehan Shamrocks next for a chance to make the final four. A win over Bishop Feehan will put Needham in the state semi-finals.
