One up, one down for Acton-Boxboro soccer
Any team that has a date with the Acton-Boxboro boys' soccer team could learn a lesson from Concord-Carlisle. When playing the second-ranked Colonials, leave mistakes at home. A poor clearance, a cheap foul, or a mistimed pass will not go unpunished, as exhibited in A-B's 3-0 victory over the third-ranked Patriots.
The Colonials (8-0-0) moved one step closer to DCL supremacy with the win, and left C-C wondering where things went wrong.
But the top-ranked Acton-Boxboro girls' soccer team suffered a shocking defeat at Concord-Carlisle as the Lady Patriots used a first-half free-kick strike from senior captain Kathie Nyholm to steal a 1-0 victory. The Lady Colonials (6-1-0) suffered their first loss of the season despite outshooting C-C (3-3-3) , 21-4.
The Concord-Carlisle boys (6-1-2) opened the game positive despite a gaping hole in their midfield left by Theo Terris, who was sidelined because of an eye injury.
That left more room for A-B midfielders Steve Rose, Chris Skayne, and Jay Hayward to operate and employ the patient, possession-oriented attack the Colonials execute so well. That patience paid off in the 23d minute when a ball played over the top of the Patriot s defense fell to junior Sam Kelly, who poked the ball past goalkeeper Rob Brandon to give the Colonials a 1-0 lead. The second goal came on the tail end of a set piece just outside the 18-yard box. Rose's free kick was hit hard and low into the wall, but C-C failed to clear the danger properly, and the ball fell to Josh Solomon. The senior hit a bending ball to the far right post that Brandon got a hand on, but he could only tip it off the crossbar, where senior Jason Fund was waiting to tap it in for the 2-0 lead.
``In the first half we had our success when we maintained possession and held onto the ball," A-B coach Dave Baumritter said. ``We have a lot of players that are good on the ball and we try to play to our strengths and keep the ball on the ground."
The Patriots came out of the halftime break reenergized and came close to cutting the lead in half. Their best chance came when senior Jean Fauchet sent junior Tony Lania in behind the defense. Lania seemed to have a clear opportunity, but goalkeeper Seth Nagle was too quick off his line, smothering Lania's shot. A-B bided its time until junior Jake Hart, in the 59th minute, sprinted down the touchline and sent in a dangerous ball in the 18-yard box. Again, C-C had difficulty clearing, and Rose poked in the third goal.
``A-B is far too talented a team to give them opportunities, you just can't make mistakes at the back," said C-C coach Ray Pavlik.
For the Concord-Carlisle girls, it was the third win in a row, surviving a furious second-half onslaught to preserve the victory. Sophomore goalkeeper Emily Beinickey came to C-C's rescue with 14 saves.
``It was all A-B in the second half," said C-C coach Nancy Slocumb , whose Patriots are unbeaten in their past five games after starting 0-3-1. ``They absolutely dominated. They had the ball in our half for more than 30 minutes in the second half."
Eastern Independent: Billy Nickerson (four goals) and Jesse Rose (three) combined for all of Pingree's scores in a 7-2 victory over Chapel Hill.
Greater Boston: Two of Eastern Massachusetts' top scorers, seniors Marcello Silva and Marcus Pizzetti, scored for Malden in a 2-1 win over Peabody.
Mayflower: Tyler Hebert had five goals and an assist for Sacred Heart in a 7-2 win over Westport. The senior cocaptain scored a hat trick within the first five minutes and increased his season total to 20 goals.
South Coast: Seven Dighton-Rehoboth players scored, led by senior striker Mike Medeiros with two (his 14th and 15th of the year), in an 8-2 rout of Wareham.
Catholic Central: Kate Silva scored on a feed from Michelle Norton 14 minutes into the second half to lead Cardinal Spellman to a 1-0 victory over Arlington Catholic. Spellman is 9-0-1.
Eastern Independent: Dana Bergstrom scord for Lexington Christian with four minutes left in a 2-1 win over Pingree.
Greater Boston: Peabody sophomore Erika DiGiacomo registered her first career hat trick in a 5-0 win over Malden.
Hockomock: Oliver Ames senior Kelsey Bigelow scored the winner with six minutes to go in a 1-0 win over Stoughton.
ISL: Junior Katie Keady scored on a penalty kick with two minutes left to lift Thayer Academy to a 4-3 win over St. Paul's.
Nonleague: Eighth-grader Emily Proos debuted with a hat trick in Bancroft's 4-0 win over Stoneleigh Burnham.
Prep-private: Kayla DiRoberto scored on a cross from Alicia Morrell in the 75th minute to lead Worcester Academy to a 1-0 win over Pomfret.
Dual County: Sheligh Dolan had 14 kills and Kali Hunter had 12 assists in Westford Academy's 3-0 blanking of Bedford.
Globe correspondent Brendan Hall contributed to this report. 
