Viv Laporte's three goals power Needham girls past top-seeded Beverly
Senior Izzy Marino and junior Viv Laporte powered a five-goal second-half surge against No. 13 Beverly.
By Naomi Tesfaye ·
The Needham girls' soccer team turned a first-half deficit into a commanding victory Thursday, securing their spot in the Division 1 quarterfinals. The fourth-seeded Rockets trailed No. 13 Beverly, 1-0, at the break despite controlling possession for much of the opening 45 minutes. Senior Izzy Marino acknowledged the team's frustration, noting they were playing the same way but needed to be more clinical in the final third.
The momentum shifted immediately in the second half. Marino forced a save from Beverly senior keeper Clara Kostro, leading to a corner kick that resulted in an equalizer by senior Emery Carr. Three minutes later, junior Viv Laporte curled a shot from 10 yards into the top right corner to give Needham a 2-1 lead.
Laporte extended the advantage in the 53rd minute following a sequence of quick passes. Junior Ellie Mack found Marino, who set up Laporte to beat Kostro for the third goal. In the 58th minute, Mack drew a penalty, and Laporte converted from the spot to reach three goals on the day. Junior Belen Schreier added the final goal in the 62nd minute with a long-range shot into the top-left corner, making the score 5-1.
Carr praised Laporte's ability to strike the ball, calling her performance a display of what the junior does best. The victory marks the third consecutive season Needham has hosted a quarterfinal match, though the team has not advanced further in the previous two attempts.
Marino stated that the community support provides a strong opportunity to advance one game further. The Rockets will host No. 5 Franklin at a date and time to be announced.
In other Division 1 second-round action, third-seeded Bishop Feehan defeated No. 14 Shrewsbury, 9-1. Senior Tia LaBrecque scored five goals, while sophomore Quinn Dwomoh, senior Michaela Poidomani, and senior Taylor Nichols added goals. Top-seeded Concord-Carlisle beat No. 16 Arlington, 5-0. Emmy O'Donnell scored twice, with Ainsley Siefer, Catherine Kilmartin, and Kendall Johnson also finding the net. Sallie Wu kept a clean sheet for the Patriots.
In Division 2, fourth-seeded Masconomet defeated No. 13 Silver Lake, 6-0. Ava Wexler and Maddie Orciuch each recorded a goal and an assist. Lidia Alberta, Lily Blosser, Maggie Blosser, and Kaia Reardon also scored for the Chieftans.
