Penalty kicks were the path to victory for the No. 1 seed Bromfield boys soccer team (13-3-2) Sunday afternoon, Nov. 13, in their “elite eight” quarterfinal match against No. 8 seed Mt. Greylock Regional (7-5-5) at Ayer Shirley Regional’s recently-opened Harold G, Norton Athletic Complex.
Bromfield goalkeeper and captain Tucker Madison makes a critical save against a penalty kick after double overtime. Bromfield beat Mt. Greylock 1-0 to advance to the Div. 5 semifinals against Gardner, schedulded for Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at Ayer Shirley High School. (Photo by Kent Boynton)
After 80 minutes of regulation play and two sudden-death overtimes, the Trojans and Mounties were tied, 0-0, and players from the two teams lined up for a best-of-five penalty shootout to decide the winner.
Bromfield’s first shot was blocked by Mountie goalkeeper Dan Warren, but the team’s remaining four kickers each scored. Mounty kickers netted two shots, but two were saved by Trojan goalie Tucker Madison, and Bromfield prevailed 4-2.
The boys are scheduled to play their semifinal match at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night, Nov. 15, against No. 4 seed Gardner (12-2-2) at Ayer Shirley Regional. The last time the two teams met, Gardner won on penalty kicks.
Senior captain. Rachel Wharton (7) sticks her neck out to control a bouncing ball. (Photo by Kent Boynton)
Girls lose a heartbreaker
In their second round Division 5 match against No. 4 seed Douglas (9-5-4) played at Millbury Nov. 11, the 13th-ranked girls (8-9-1) lost on penalty kicks. It was the team’s best game of the season, and although the Lady Trojans’ offense failed to score, so did the Tigers as the Bromfield defense held back the higher-seeded team through both halves of regular play and two sudden-death overtimes. During the second overtime, junior forward Kennedy Dylewicz slipped what appeared to be a loose ball into the net, but the goal was overruled, and in the shootout that followed, Bromfield lost 3-1.
