Beverly defeats Natick 5-0 to end Division 1 soccer title defense
The 13th-seeded Panthers dismantled the defending champions in the first round of the tournament, with five different players scoring.
By Julian Schulz ·
The No. 20 Natick Rams entered Monday's game as the defending Division 1 state champions, but their title run ended in 80 minutes against the No. 13 Beverly Panthers. The host team defeated the visitors 5-0 in the first round of the tournament, securing a spot in the round of 16.
Beverly established control early. Sophomore Jaydin Simpson opened the scoring in the fourth minute. She raced down the right wing, beat a defender, and fired a low shot into the far corner. The Panthers extended their lead to 2-0 in the 16th minute. Junior Olivia Anketell passed a through ball to senior Genevieve Bilotti, who shot left-footed off the bottom of the right post.
Natick relied on sophomore Emilia Sousa for offense, but the Beverly back line contained her efforts. Coach Kristin Simpson said the team prepared for Sousa specifically. "We made sure that everybody was aware of her," Simpson said. "Our midfield did a great job defending."
Anketell scored her second goal of the match in the 45th minute. She dribbled around Natick keeper Sophia Marmor to make the score 3-0. Anketell credited the team's cohesion for the performance. "We all have really good chemistry," Anketell said. "We came into it knowing that they're really good, and we just brought a lot of energy."
Beverly added two more goals in the second half. Sophomore Violet Acheson scored in the 71st minute. Freshman Belle Groff scored in the 73rd minute to finish the scoring. The Panthers finished the game with a 16-1-2 record, while Natick dropped to 6-10-2.
The victory eliminated the previous year's champions from the tournament. Natick had won the division title in the prior season. The result advances Beverly to the next round, where they will face the No. 4 Needham Rockets. The Panthers will play at Needham, though the date and time have not been set.
Simpson described the effort as a collective achievement. "Collectively, it was a great effort by the girls," Simpson said. Anketell expressed confidence in the team's ability to win the tournament. "We have to continue to leave it all out on the field," Anketell said. "I think we can win the whole thing."
