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Pelrine's OT goal sends Raiders into state final

Tuesday, November, 16 By Christopher Smith
Staff writer

LYNN — Everyone on the Central Catholic bench sprinted as quickly as they could over to Nicolette Pelrine and mobbed the Raiders senior with hugs right after she kicked a loose ball by Franklin keeper Ellie Getchell for the game-winner with 4:16 left in overtime in the Division 1 state semifinal yesterday. 

Central won 1-0 to advance to Friday’s state championship game at Worcester State at 5 p.m. Their opponent still is to be determined. 

“I couldn’t think of a better person to score that goal than Nicolette,” Central coach Casey Grange said. 

That’s because Pelrine does the difficult work defensively for Central – while often not getting much credit, if any at all, for it. But she is a game-changer, who marks the opposing team’s best player, Grange said. 

Pelrine marked Franklin’s Jenn Coppola yesterday. 

“Whenever we play a team that has a dominant (offensive) player, we put her (Pelrine) on that player and she completely shuts her down,” Grange said. “She changes games because opposing teams can’t go through their best player and create opportunities. She has worked so hard this entire season — and then in the tournament when she has had to mark someone. It’s not a fun job and you don’t get a lot of credit for it, and it’s a really difficult job, so I could think of nobody better to get that game-winning goal for us.”

Pelrine wants to play college soccer next year and has spoken with Bates about playing there but still is undecided. 

“It’s incredible, it’s amazing,” Pelrine said about scoring the game-winner. “It was down in the corner and we were just fighting for the ball and it got loose, it got behind the defender and I sprinted in and (scored).

“It was incredible, amazing — it’s probably something I’ll never get back,” she added.

Pelrine, who said the goal was the biggest of her life, said the game came down to heart. 

“We weren’t having our best game obviously but it just came down to giving it our all at the end when we really needed to,” she said. “It just came down to everybody putting in their own effort.” 

The goal was just Pelrine’s second of the season. Gabie Polce, who scored the game-winning goal in the Division 1 North final on Sunday, assisted Pelrine.

“Nicolette has been chosen to be the one who man-marks the other team’s best player and so far she’s done an unbelievable job,” senior Mikayla Hickey said. “Her goal tonight — we won on it. It was all her. So she’s unbelievable and I give her all the credit.” 

Pelrine is quiet and soft-spoken, but that doesn’t show on the field, Hickey said. 

“Nicolette is quiet but you can’t tell on the field,” Hickey said. “She’s always the one who’s in everyone’s business. She’s always the one winning the ball.”

Pelrine said her defensive-orientated position is difficult. 

“But I enjoy it,” she said. “It’s not the easiest job. It’s not something everyone likes to do but it’s what the team needs.”

Central outshot Franklin 15-10. 

Raiders goalie Jane Hatzikonstantis recorded 10 saves for her 16th shutout of the season.