Women’s soccer victorious against Fitchburg: First conference victory against the Falcons since 2019

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST

By Taylor Kimmell Asst. Sports Editor The Framingham State Rams earned their first conference victory of the season with their 2-1 win against the Fitchburg State Falcons Sept. 20. The Rams acknowledge this as a notable accomplishment, as just last season, the Falcons came out of the matchup victorious with a shutout win of 5-0. This win improved the team’s conference record to 1-2 and their overall record to 2-4-1. FSU began the match with a heavy offensive push, with junior Melissa Romeiro executing the first shot on goal only a minute in, which was saved by Fitchburg goalie Madison Dawkins. Following an offside against the Rams and two fouls against Fitchburg, freshman Sophia Thimm had a second shot on goal, also saved by Dawkins around the 18-minute mark. Several more fouls by Fitchburg placed the Rams’ forwards in scoring position, with sophomore Hailey Ring finding the back of the net at 25:23, putting in the first goal of the game. Ring said she was grateful her goal was motivating for her teammates, saying, “It just gets us in the right mindset. “Scoring makes us more confident, and we feel like we can play a bit more freely,” she added. Fitchburg was next on the offensive, taking the ball to the net three minutes later, only to be stopped by goalkeeper Amelia Finley, a freshman. Offensive possession switched again following a strong punt down the field by Finley, which led to another shot by Ring, which bounced off the Falcons’ goalpost. The Rams kept the pressure on Fitchburg’s side of the field, with Captain Cathryn Cooney, a senior, making the next attempt on net. Again, Dawkins prevented a goal. Two minutes after Cooney's shot, Ring earned the team a corner kick, keeping the Rams' pressure on the Falcons’ net. Senior Sarah Campbell attempted to evade Dawkins, but her shot was also defended. Not 30 seconds later, Cooney attempted to score again, yet another save from Dawkins prevented the ball from getting through. Fitchburg’s goalie continued to prove a tough opponent, as when senior Madison Magone sent in a shot, Dawkins was again there to block it. A wide shot from Ring at 41:20 ended Framingham’s string of attempts on goal. Fitchburg regained possession of the ball and sped down the field, with Falcons’ sophomore Noelle Kennedy netting the tying goal right before the end of the half. Despite Fitchburg’s goal at the end of the first period, Framingham’s fire had not been doused. Junior Ana Serrano took the ball to the net, her shot blocked by Falcons’ goalie Mia Herron. Following this, Fitchburg regained possession and offensive control, barreling down the field once again. Though Framingham's defense kept tight to their marks, the Falcons were able to fire off two shots in the following minute - one sailing high above the net and the other bouncing far to the side. Fitchburg’s failure to capitalize on its offensive advantage yielded another great offensive push for the Rams. Expertly executed passes down the field put Thimm in position for a corner kick. The Rams kept the ball on the Falcons’ side of the midfield line for the next seven minutes. Thimm shot a ball just wide of the net 13 minutes into the second half. The Rams continued to keep the ball on their offensive end, with freshman Leiyani Buckner taking the ball on a penalty kick and sending a hard shot by Herron into the back of the Falcons’ net. With this goal, Framingham regained the lead 2-1. Buckner said her goal simply “added to the fire we’ve had the whole game.” Ring said while the first goal of the game sets them on the right track, the second improves everyone’s confidence. She said, “It’s helpful being able to get past the stress. Sometimes, we get flustered a little bit, but it's better once we have a couple of goals under our belt - something to get us started.” After taking back control of the game, Framingham continued to fire off shots, with Thimm’s blocked by Herron just a minute later. Fitchburg, chasing another tying goal, brought the ball back to Framingham’s side of the midfield line. Somehow dodging Framingham’s defenders, Fitchburg sent another ball toward the net, missing by just a few feet. Framingham regained possession not a minute later, and through a strategic strand of consecutive passes and a brilliantly timed cross, Thimm was placed in shooting position once again. Though Herron stumbled to return to the blocking position from her spot on the wrong side of a wide-open net, a Falcon defender slid in at the last second and blocked Thimm’s attempt on goal. Buckner had a shot on goal at 62:22, with Herron stepping back into position to save the ball. Sophomore Beyonce Gray also met a challenge when attempting to shoot on Herron two minutes later. The two teams battled it out for the next several minutes, with each receiving two fouls for various reasons. Following this, Fitchburg made another strong push on offense, though no forward could prove a worthy match for Finley. Fitchburg earned a corner kick a minute later, but their offense could not use it to their advantage. Two minutes later, Ring earned a corner kick for the Rams. This would be the team’s last offensive play of the game. The last eight minutes of the game were riveting, with Fitchburg inching closer and closer to the net. Every attempt by the Rams to regain possession proved futile, as the Falcons’ fierce determination began to increase. Three shots from the Falcons in the last few minutes of the game had each spectator in the stands holding their breath. A shot at 82:02 could not make it past Finley. A shot at 84:55 made its way into her arms instead of the back of the net. As Fitchburg’s Kayla Prisley wound up to kick with a minute left in the match, silence filled the complex. Then, in a mind-boggling change of scenery, the stands erupted into cheers as Finley threw herself on top of the ball to stop the shot, sealing Fitchburg's fate. As the Rams passed the ball down the field in tantalizing fashion to run down the clock, the doom-bound Falcons tried their best to steal back the ball for one last Hail Mary play. Unfortunately for Fitchburg, that was not in the cards, and the clock ticked down, securing a 2-1 victory for Framingham. Head Coach Michael La Francesca said their win was the result of extensive practice and the flexibility of the women on the field. La Francesca said, “We had a number of strong performances across the board.” He said key plays from scoring players, defenders, and Finley’s impressive game in the net helped make the win possible. Finley’s and Buckner’s performances earned them the MASCAC titles of Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively. Cooney said, “[Finley] is a freshman starter, and she’s absolutely amazing. She can read the field really well.” La Francesca said the win against the Falcons improves the Rams’ confidence while serving as a reminder of the level of intensity needed in each game. La Francesca said, “Heading into Curry and Salem State, we’ll carry that energy with us but stay grounded, knowing both will be tough opponents.” The Rams hosted Curry College on Wednesday, Sept. 24, tying the game 3-3 and bringing their overall record to 2-4-2. The team hosts Salem State for a conference matchup Friday, Sept. 26.