Women’s soccer stuns Salem in shutout win

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST

By Izabela Gage Sports Editor The Rams triumphed over the Salem State University Vikings in a 2-0 shutout Sept. 26. This win evens out their conference record to 2-2 and brings their overall record to 3-4-2. Sophomore goalkeeper Savannah Goba said this shutout win “felt amazing. We worked so hard as a team for the whole 90 minutes of the game, and not letting up a single goal was so rewarding. “Our program has always been fueled by determination, but these successes are great boosts to our confidence. Every single player on our team is so dedicated and puts in 110%. And this feeling of a great win is something that will push us even harder to keep earning that feeling,” she added. After the first three minutes of both teams fighting for possession, sophomore Isabella Fischer had the game’s first shot on goal, with the ball sailing just wide of the net. At 9:31, the Rams earned their first corner kick, with freshman Sophia Thimm stepping up to deliver. Moments later, Thimm nearly put the Rams ahead, firing a shot that Salem’s goalkeeper, Ava Guyer, caught at 9:59. Salem responded shortly after with a shot on goal of their own, but Goba easily blocked the ball from getting past the goal line. From there, the momentum swung back to the Rams. Sophomore Abigail Pratt’s 15th-minute shot demanded another save by Guyer, followed by another attempt by Thimm just 21 seconds later. The Vikings tried to counter, but the shot was wide. Goba remained unshakable and blocked another shot at the 19:25 mark. Framingham’s pressure mounted, creating a rhythm where Salem was constantly on the back foot, scrambling to clear corners and shots. Junior Melissa Romeiro pushed forward with two shots in quick succession, with one high and the other wide. Freshman Sarah Bashore, Thimm, and Romeiro tested Salem’s back line, with each of them attempting to find the back of the net, but all shots were wide. Junior Tarynn Smith nearly broke through at 34:56, only for Guyer to make yet another save. Finally, the breakthrough arrived. In the 38th minute, Smith sent the ball downfield to junior Ana Serrano. Serrano chased after the ball, and once she had the breakaway, she slotted the shot into the net for the game’s first goal. Serrano said, “Scoring definitely gives me confidence, but more importantly, it shows the progress we’re making as a team. The goal came from good ball movement and everyone doing their job, so it motivates me to keep working hard, put myself in the right spots, and help create more chances for us as the season goes on.” The Rams continued to press in the final minutes of the half. Freshman Anilyse Laderwager sent the ball wide, followed by two last attempts by freshman Abigale King and Laderwager that Guyer saved before the halftime whistle blew. Salem opened the second half with urgency, but once again, the Rams responded to the offensive push. In the 47th minute, Goba stopped a goal attempt from McKenna Gilligan, reinforcing the Rams’ strong defense. Every time Salem tried to find their footing and even the score, Goba remained assertive in the net. Romeiro forced another save from Guyer in the 49th minute, and Framingham continued piling on the pressure. Salem countered with a brief push, but Goba stopped Salem’s Jenna Mitza’s shot on goal at 51:08. By the 54th minute, Framingham was back in control. Freshman Leiyani Buckner attempted to find the back of the net, testing Guyer once more before Thimm saw back-to-back shots blocked around the 55th and 58th minutes. The Rams stayed on top of the ball, keeping the Vikings pinned deep, with two more attempts by Thimm and one by Romeiro. Romeiro tallied four shots in the game. She said, “Even when I’m not scoring, I try to stay locked in and look for chances. Fast games can be tough, but I just focus on creating space, making runs, and putting myself in a position to help the team whenever I get the ball.” In the 67th minute, the Rams deepened the deficit. After Salem absorbed the waves of pressure from Framingham’s offense, Romeiro found space to serve a perfect pass to Thimm. Thimm struck it past Guyer to net the ball and give Framingham a 2-0 lead, earning her first collegiate goal. Thimm said, “Getting that goal definitely boosts my confidence. It shows me that if I keep taking my chances, there is more of a chance of me scoring again, so it motivates me to stay aggressive and keep looking for opportunities.” Salem tried to close the gap, but every attempt to put their first point on the board was either blocked by the Rams’ back line or halted by Goba. In the 72nd minute, Captain Grayson Tellier, a senior, took a shot at goal, sending the ball just high of the net. As the clock wound down, Salem pushed their offense forward, but could not find a breakthrough. Gilligan’s 88th-minute attempt flew wide, and moments later, Salem’s Hudah Ngoy Nkulu tried to find the back of the net, only for Goba to once again make a save. Serrano said, “Our coaches always emphasize playing simple and keeping possession, and I think that really showed in this game. Everyone bought into the game plan and trusted each other, which helped us control the pace and create a lot of scoring opportunities with 24 shots.” Romeiro said, “We worked on connecting passes, switching the field, and staying aggressive in the final third, which helped us keep pressure on and create so many chances.” Thimm said to control possession and create more scoring opportunities throughout the win, the team “focused on moving the ball quickly, keeping good spacing, and staying patient on offense.” Goba said, “Because of this great group of girls, I feel that our team is prospering in growth. It takes a collective effort for a team to function, and there's no one better for the job than the girls on this team.” The Rams hosted the Keene State College Owls in a non-conference contest and lost 1-0 Oct. 1. This loss brings their overall record to 3-5-2, and their conference record remains at 2-2. Framingham hosts the University of Maine at Fort Kent for another non-conference matchup Oct. 4. Goba said the team is working hard to continue building momentum for the rest of the season. “We are focusing on bringing high intensity to every practice to push each other to be the best we can be.” Serrano said, “These non-conference games are great to build momentum as we push toward playoffs.” Romeiro said the team is working on staying consistent for the full 90 minutes and improving as a unit so they are prepared for conference play. Thimm said, “We’re working on communication, keeping up our intensity for the full game, and finishing out our chances. If we keep improving in those areas, it’ll help us in our non-conference games this week.” Goba said, “I truly believe that this team has such strong chemistry off the field, and that translates to chemistry on the field. Our team is like a family - we respect each other so much, and we believe in each other.”