Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the team’s ranking
The Achilles heel for the Belmont High School girls soccer team is gone.
In prior years, the Marauders struggled to score. This fall, Belmont not only rectified the problem, but they led the Middlesex League in goals and were among the state’s top scoring teams. The Marauders (14-2-2) clinched the eighth seed in the MIAA Division 1 tournament. They open against 25th-ranked Framingham at an as-yet unknown time.
“I think overall we had a wonderful season,” Coach Jemmy Cange said. “At first, I don’t think we were really expecting to be that close to the [Middlesex League title], but our freshmen came in and seniors did really well. It’s always good to see hard work pay off.
“Our weakness the past couple of years was us scoring goals and I think we’ve been working really hard on it.”
Senior striker Danica Zicha (30 goals, eight assists) boasts ridiculous scoring numbers. Sophomore forward Cassie Greiner (11 goals, 19 assists) broke out as another dangerous scorer. Ten other Marauders scored multiple goals, including freshman Mackenzie Tierney (five goals, three assists) and senior Nora Goulding (four goals, five assists).
Reigning Middlesex League All-Stars Madhavi Ramadas, a junior, and Ashley Waters, a senior, don’t score much but lead the midfield and defense, respectively. After starting the year on the bench while recovering from an ACL tear, senior goalkeeper Martha Dimas allowed less than a goal per game.
“I think a big part of us scoring goals is obviously Danica and having her back healthy,” Ramadas said. “We have a lot more confidence up top now. We have a lot of different goals scorers and ways to score.”
Last year’s Belmont team only lost once in the regular season, but they tied seven times. This fall, the Marauders won a handful of more games with a more potent, Zicha-led offense. After falling to Braintree in the first round of the tournament last year, the team looks for a longer postseason run. With 18 seniors graduating last year, the team looks a lot different. A balance of experience and youthful exuberance serves the team well.
Tournament games often trend toward lower-scoring affairs, something Belmont remains mindful of in the practices and scrimmages leading up to the postseason opener.
“A big part of our strategy is throwing other teams off guard,” Ramadas said. “One thing we’ve been talking about is in the final minutes, just mixing things up and seeing if we can get a couple calls.”
Belmont scored four or more goals eight times in the regular season, including a season-high eight goals in a mid-season match at Burlington and three seven-score efforts. Belmont went scoreless just three times. In two of those matches, stout defense led to draws. The Marauders were within a half-game of the league title, which went to Winchester. After losing to league foes Arlington and Lexington in their first matchups, Belmont beat both, which Ramadas said showed growth.
“I feel like the past couple of years, we’ve been building a winning team to compete in the playoffs,” Cange said. “This year, it’s totally different. The people that we have now have been on the team for the past few years, so they have experience and know what it takes.”
