RallyNorth.net

Fri, Oct 29, 2010 03:45 PM @ Masconomet

Team	1st	2nd	Final
North Andover	0	1	1
Masconomet	0	0	0

North Andover topples Masco

Friday, October, 29 By Kevin McDonald
Staff writer

Senior captain Erika Zahoruiko scored off a free kick from yards out with eight minutes left and North Andover held on to stun previously unbeaten Masconomet 1-0.

The Chieftains, who dropped to 15-1-1, are ranked No. 2 in all of Eastern Mass.

"I couldn't really believe it had happened," said Zahoruiko. "I was so happy, I started laughing and then crying. I'm never really in that kind of situation. It was awesome, I don't even know how to explain it. It's an awesome feeling to end the season with a win against a huge rival like Masco."

The last time that North Andover played Masco this season, the Scarlet Knights lost 3-0.

This was dramatically different, though. Zahoruiko made sure of it.

"There was a foul on the field that I'm not sure what it was," said coach Bud McCarthy, whose club improved to 7-6-5. "Erika was given a free kick and she booted it in."

  McCarthy made some changes from the disappointing Sept. 23 setback.

"We changed up defensively. We went man to man and tired to match our speed with their speed at the midfield. Our forwards would come up to help with double teams."

Senior Caitlin Enright had 12 saves in the shutout.

"She wasn't a goalkeeper before this year,'' noted McCarthy. "She was the leading scorer in JVs last year. She has steadily improved throughout the year, and now is the right time to have confidence in her game."