FRANKLIN, Mass. — Behind a pair of goals in each half and a strong 80-minute performance, Franklin’s postseason run got off to a great start.
Junior Anya Zub scored a hat trick and sophomore Kelly O’Connor added another as the 8th-seeded Panthers quelled the excitement of the visiting 25th-seeded Marauders of Belmont with a convincing 4-0 decision in a Division 1 Round of 32 matchup.
“We had a problem early in the year not coming out strong enough so we’ve been pushing and pushing the idea of coming out hard and ready to play,” said Franklin head coach Tom Geysen, “They came out hard tonight and at halftime, we just talked about it being an 80-minute game. The first 40 was yours, you have to make the second 40 yours too. They came out and did exactly that.”
Belmont was fresh off a 3-1 win over Brockton in the preliminary round and entered Monday’s clash with a high excitement and intensity level. But it took just minutes for Franklin to register its first serious scoring chance and the Panthers’ back four of Alli Powderly, Lily Deforge, Norah Anderson, and Katie Ewald denied the visitors of any dangerous scoring chances all game.
It took just five minutes for Franklin to start knocking on the door defensively. O’Connor flicked on a ball from Deforge to herself in behind the defense and was in alone on goal but forced the keeper to a big save off the line.
Less than 10 minutes later, O’Connor snuck in behind the defense on a service and beat the keeper to the ball, but her bid was just wide at the far post.
O’Connor and the Panthers finally cashed in in the 18th minute on a set piece. Anderson delivered a ball into the area that the keeper came off the line to try and get, but only managed to get one hand to it. The ball fell in behind and O’Connor was there to smash it home from inches out to make sure it crossed the line.
The Marauders didn’t have a ton of chances, but their two best came minutes after Franklin’s first half strikes. In the 21st minute, Belmont got a look on goal with a shot just outside the 18 but Rachel Welch was easily able to collect.
Franklin doubled its lead just minutes before the halftime break. Powderly’s quick throw found Tori Carmignani, and her ball was deflected by a defender to O’Connor. The defense was able to recover to prevent a shot from the sophomore, but Zub made a nice overlapping run around and O’Connor laid it off. Zub blasted a low left-footed shot that got through the keeper and in to make it 2-0 in the 24th minute.
It was more of the same for the Panthers in the second half. After 10 minutes had expired, Franklin junior Olivia Costa nearly added to the hosts’ lead but was denied by the post. Senior Avery Greco looped a ball in to O’Connor, who cut back and sent a cross to the far post. Costa ran onto it and, despite a tough bounce, got her foot to it but it hit off the near post and stayed out.
Greco and Costa linked up a minute later, the former dropping a pass off for senior Bridget Leo’s blast from distance but it went just wide.
Franklin’s pressure up top paid off again as Zub got her second in the 60th minute. Deforge launched a ball from her own half over the defense that Zub was able to get to first, using her left foot to get into space and then using her right to lift over the oncoming keeper for a 3-0 advantage.
Ewald won a challenge on the left side to freshman Mia Eglintine, who connected with O’Connor. O’Connor battled her way into some space before finding Carmignani in the middle of the pitch. Carmignani carried at the defense before slotting a perfect through ball to Zub, who finished on her left to complete the hat trick in the 34th minute.
“Anya and Kelly, the two of them, plus Olivia Costa, she’s the same way, they just go forever,” Geysen said of the constant pressure. “So you have those three running up front, they are putting a lot of pressure on the ball and on the defense.”
Franklin girls soccer (15-3-1) will host #9 Wellesley (9-1-6), who took down Marshfield 2-0. The game is currently scheduled for Thursday at 4:00.
