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- Category: Past Issues
Putnam Science Academy’s girls’ soccer team won a pair of games this week, each in very different fashion.
First was a 13-0 blowout over Hoosac on Sept. 18 in the first soccer game played at PSA’s home field. Ana Velasco led the way with four goals, Karol Souza added three, and Ana Aldaz chipped in with a pair. Ana Garcia, Luciana Guimaraes, Thandeka Sibanda, and Zanashia Croft all had one goal apiece.
“It’s awesome,” coach Jen Bennett said of playing at home. “First home game is a big deal for me. It feels great and I think the girls feel great. It’s nice to have a home game where the stands are filled, all the kids are here. We loved it.”
While there were plenty of goals to salute in that game, the Sept. 21 home game against Winchendon was much more difficult. The Mustangs played shorthanded because of injuries, but fought through the unseasonably warm temperatures and the physical nature of the game to improve to 3-0 with a 2-0 win. After a scoreless first half, Aldaz scored off an assist from Souza, who then later scored one of her own for the final score. Souza has eight goals through three games; Aldaz has seven. PSA also got a huge lift from keeper Stepheny Davis, who had 11 saves.
“She played out of her mind,” Bennett said. “It was awesome.”
Boys’ Teams
PSA’s boys’ Second Team responded well to a nine-day layoff with a 4-2 win over Hoosac on Sept. 22.
“Our objective, the thing we worked on in training, was moving the ball up the field and creating chances,” said coach Ivan Damilura. “I’d say we created at least 20 chances and we scored on four of them. We played well.”
Victor Reis, Luca Almeida, Matus Vician, and Josue de Leon scored one goal apiece to lead the Mustangs (2-0) to the win.
Damilura was particularly happy with the play of Reis.
“He’s playing the role where he’s creating those chances for us,” Damilura said, “and he did really, really well. If our No. 10 can do the job like that, that’s good for us.”
PSA’s boys’ First Team split a pair of games, falling first 4-2 on Sept. 18 at Northfield Mount Hermon. Gabriele Formiconi and Hadly Bell scored for the Mustangs, who had beaten NMH in a preseason friendly. The team bounced back with a convincing 5-1 win on Sept. 22 over St. Thomas More. Bell recorded a hat trick, and Jesus Barea and Geni Kanyane added single tallies in the win, which pushed PSA’s record to 3-1.
Steve Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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