By Jack Nicas

Boys Soccer

After a 4-1 defeat to Everett Tuesday, Sept. 23, Somerville boys soccer bounced back Thursday, shutting out Cambridge 4-0. The momentum couldn’t last past the weekend though, as the team was blanked Monday by Bedford 1-0. Head coach George Scarpelli’s squad now stands even at 3-3-1.

Sophomore Homero Morais was at it again Thursday, scoring two of the team’s four goals and assisting the others. The performance gives him nine goals on the season, accounting for exactly half the amount that have come from Somerville players all season.

Junior captain Joseph Abrantes and senior Jamie Majano each also contributed a goal in the game.

Monday looked to be a one-sided game into the first half when Somerville was out-shooting Bedford 18-4, but a goal off a penalty kick in the 29th minute was all Bedford would need.

In the team’s next game on Fridday, Scarpelli will have another shot at his former team Medford (3:45 p.m., Medford High School). Medford defeated Somerville 2-0 the last time the two teams met.

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Girls Soccer

The Somerville girls soccer team wrapped up its first half of the season with two shutout wins this week, bringing the team’s record to 7-1.

Tuesday’s match at Everett started out slow, as head coach Jason Lenicheck said the team made ‚Äúa tactical adjustment‚Ķ to accommodate the unusual field situation.‚Äù  Everett’s field is unusually long and narrow, he said.

“But once they sorted out how to establish a secondary layer of offense,” he said, “the goals started coming.”

The game ended as a 6-0 shutout. Junior forward Alexis Fitzpatrick racked up two goals and one assist before the game reached halftime. Senior Leny Alfaro and junior Jackie Conde each had a goal and assist, and sophomore Tayla Plett and junior Jenny Henrique rounded out the scoring.

“Several players saw action at unusual positions,” Lenicheck said, “and I was very pleased with how well they were able to apply themselves.” Senior Jill Liberatore, who spends most her time on defense, played on the frontline Tuesday, recording an assist.
Thursday’s game proved to be not as easy, but just as successful. Somerville struck early against Cambridge with what Lenicheck called ‚Äúa perfectly finished strike on a breakaway.‚Äù Junior forward Jenny Henrique recorded the lone goal, ‚Äúa low roller into the side of the net,‚Äù Lenicheck said.

Junior goalkeeper Molly Tyler continued her successful season with her seventh shutout win in eight games. Tyler has allowed only one goal all season, in a 1-0 loss to Methuen.

The team will resume action versus Medford Friday after its one-week break (3:45 p.m., Dilboy Stadium).

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Girls Volleyball

After losing to Salem in three close matches Thursday and dropping to 1-8 on the season, the Somerville girls volleyball team bounced back in a big way Friday, defeating second-seeded Everett in three out of five matches.

Head coach Erin Howe said she is excited for what the win means for the team: “[It] only goes to show that our winning record is going to improve immensely.”

Senior captains Kelly Aliano and Courtney Coulombe have been leading the way all season, with Aliano coming up big in the Everett match, having as many as nine serves in a row, Howe said.

Howe said Kelly Nolan also contributed a solid effort serving and Nayara DeSouza and Kayla Landry solidified the defense.

‚ÄúBetween the girls’ hard work, dedication, and good attitudes, Somerville will be moving to the top of our GBL,‚Äù Howe said.

Somerville played at Haverhill Tuesday. The team’s games this week include hosting Malden Wednesday and Cambridge Friday.

Howe said, “This team is only getting warmed up.”

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Girls Cross Country

Despite strong races from two fresh faces in the team’s first two meets, the Somerville High girls cross country team has fallen to 0-2 on the season.

Newcomers sophomore Sasha Garczynski and freshman Roxana Flores finished first and second in their first meet at Medford, Tuesday Sept. 18. However, Medford’s depth handed Somerville its first loss after Medford runners claimed the next five places from third to eighth.

Head coach Jeff Paterno said he and coach Charlie Tesch are focusing on the positive: “The team is very young, with six of the nine team members coming out for [cross country] for the first time, and the leadership… has been incredible.”

He said second-year captain Justine Homsi, the top returning runner from last year and the team’s only senior, ‚Äúis the glue that holds this team together.‚Äù

In the team’s second meet at Malden Tuesday, Sept. 23, a confusing course rather than a poor performance cost Somerville the victory. Garczynski, who Paterno calls ‚Äúone of the best runners in the GBL,‚Äù had a large lead, forcing her to navigate the course alone. She took a wrong turn and was disqualified from the race.

Flores thus earned her first cross country victory, but it was not enough as Malden runners took second, third and fourth place for the 26-30 victory. Paterno said strong performances from sophomore Siobhan Murray, Homsi, and junior Becca Ring, who finished fifth, sixth and seventh respectively, were unfortunately not enough for a win.

The team hosted Everett on Tuesday and will compete in the Bay State Invitational this Saturday.

Paterno said despite the losses, “this team looks to be headed in the right direction.”

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Boys Cross Country

After ending last season as undefeated Greater Boston League champions, the Somerville boys cross country team has picked up where it left off. The team shutout opponents Medford and Malden in its first two meets.

In the first meet at Medford Thursday, Sept. 18, Somerville dominated by taking the first eight places and posting a perfect cross-country score of 15-50. Head coach Jeff Paterno said he and coach Charlie Tesch attribute much of the success to senior captains Kyler Evitt and James Ball.

“[They] are everything we could ask for in captains,” Paterno said. “They organized team runs throughout the entire summer, and the hard work that the team put in through the heat and humidity is definitely paying off.”

On Thursday, Sept. 23 at Malden, the team took seven of the first eight spots, shutting out the opposition once again.

Paterno said sophomore Tim Sullivan’s performance was notable, finishing with a personal-best third place.

The team hosted Everett on Tuesday and will compete in the Bay State Invitational this Saturday.

Paterno said, “This is just a great group of guys who continue to work hard.”

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Coed Golf

The Somerville High golf team suffered a difficult week, losing three straight matches and a key player, Alex Mello, to an emergency appendectomy.

The team traveled to Cambridge Tuesday, Sept. 23, and lost 126-88. Jeff Dwyer and Eric O’Brien won their matches, shooting a 47 and 49 respectively.

The next day the team hosted an undefeated Medford team and lost 139-89. Dwyer (45), O’Brien (47), and Cam Lynch (48) each had good days at the course but lost their matches to a strong Medford team.

Somerville then dropped to 2-6 on the season Monday when they traveled to Stoneham to lose 111-61. Again O’Brien (43), Dwyer (47), and Lynch (48) posted good scores that were still not low enough for a victory.

The team looked to get back on track Tuesday when they hosted Northeast Regional at Indian Ranch Country Club. Somerville’s next match is this Thursday at Medford, scheduled for 3:45 p.m.