Girls soccer
MVRHS girls soccer moved to 3–1 on the season after beating Nantucket 2–0 on Sunday.
Both of the Vineyard goals came in the first half.
Senior captain Elena Giordano scored the first, with an assist from sophomore Eleanor Mone, in the 11th minute.
Then Jane Coogan scored an impressive goal off a direct kick, approximately 30 yards out, in the 22nd minute.
The defense came up big against the Nantucket rivals. Not one shot was allowed on goal the whole game, “thanks to our strong, fast, and disciplined back line and center midfield keeping up the pressure high up the field,” Coach Matt Malowski said.
The Vineyard had no shortage of opportunity, with nearly 30 shots on goal. Coach Malowski said that Nantucket’s goalkeeper made some “amazing saves to keep the scoring rout from happening.”
On the season, Giordano and Coogan are leading the white and purple. Giordano is currently averaging more than a goal per game, sitting on five goals and four assists on the season; Coogan is averaging a goal a game also, with four goals and two assists.
Field hockey
The MVRHS field hockey team has had a tough start to the season, moving 0–2 with one tie.
The second loss of the season came this past weekend against rival Nantucket on Sunday.
Nantucket opened the scoring early, with a goal in the first two minutes of the match. The Vineyarders managed to hold them scoreless for the remainder of the first half, with relentless play by senior midfielder Sofia Balsas Fuentes and junior forward Charlotte Scott.
But Nantucket was able to find the weaknesses in the second half. Nantucket scored four goals in the third quarter, and another three goals in the fourth, for a final score of 8 – 0.
The bright spot for Coach Rebecca Nutton was that goalie Reese McCracken made 21 saves.
On Sept 13, at home versus Nauset, the Vineyarders tied, 1–1.
Nutton said that the Vineyarders were on the defensive for a majority of the game, with seniors Clara Mikos anchoring the hard-working line and McCracken making 18 saves to keep MV in the game.
Around the seven-minute mark in the third quarter, the Vineyarders manufactured a fast break, and forward Clementine Zeender caught a goalie rebound to assist Charlotte Scott’s goal, opening the scoring and putting MV in the lead. After a spate of short corners earned by Nauset in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, they finally pushed a rebounded ball past MV’s defense and tied the score with just two minutes left.
This year’s varsity field hockey team features five seniors and seven juniors, and the rest are underclassmen with one season or less of playing experience.
“There are no middle school programs and no field hockey clubs on-Island, meaning freshmen who join the team learn the game for the first time,” Nutton said. “Our JV team this year is made almost entirely of first-year players learning the ins and outs of this game.”
But Nutton said the field hockey players are learning and working hard. “These girls work hard, and it really shows over the course of our season. It’s still early days for this group, and we are committed to getting better each week!”
Football
The boys football team had a tough loss for their second game of the season, moving to 1 and 1 on the season.
The Vineyarders fell 50 – 7 this past weekend to Cardinal Spellmen.
“They were a fantastic football team with size and speed,” said Coach Tony Mottola.
The highlight for the Vineyarders, though, was a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Aiden Connelly.
