TMHS Girls Soccer Team Tops Haverhill, 4-1

It didn't take long for the girls soccer team to take command of the Merrimack Valley Conference Division 2 standings.

The Redmen got two more goals from sophomore striker Aly Spencer and a goal and an assist from junior center midfielder Nicole Chaet on their way to a 4-1 win over Haverhill on Thursday. The win gives Tewksbury a 2-0 start to the season, and both wins have come against MVC Division 2 opponents.

Once again, TMHS jumped out to an early lead, as Chaet connected on her third goal of the season on a direct kick just 3:20 into the game.

Spencer made it 2-0 in the 10th minute of the first half on a well-placed shot from the edge of the penalty area. It was Spencer's fourth goal of the season.

Sophomore striker Kashka Gammon notched her first goal of the year three minutes later, beating the defense to a through-ball from Chaet and one-touching a shot past the Haverhill keeper.

Spencer wrapped up the scoring for the Redmen in the 24th minute on another unassisted goal, again shooting through traffic from the 18-yard line. Spencer now has five goals in the first two games of the season.

Defensively, Meaghan Blaisdell, Megan Bouthot, Kelly Quigley and Olivia Gallella were once again up to the task. Haverhill rallied to avoid the shutout with a goal early in the second half, but the TMHS defense shut the door after that.

made six saves in the match, while midfielders Caitlyn Ludka and Sara Semenza had strong games.

The Redmen host non-league opponent Newburyport High School on Saturday at 10 a.m.

Boys Soccer

Andover 7, Tewksbury 1

The young and inexperienced kept things close against perennial MVC powerhouse Andover for much of the first half, but the Redmen couldn't match the Golden Warriors' speed in a 7-1 loss Thursday night.

After Andover took an early 2-0 lead, TMHS sophomore striker Nick Bain scored Tewksbury's lone goal to cut the gap to 2-1 midway through the first half. But a penalty kick a few minutes later broke Tewksbury's spirit, and the Warriors reeled off five unanswered goals.

"We were in it for a little bit but they beat us with speed," said Tewksbury coach Tom Carpenito.

Andover scored three of its goals on breakaways, and peppered TMHS keeper Alex Bouthot with over 20 shots.

"Alex had another busy night," Carpenito said. "And Andover finished a lot better than anybody else we've seen. They put it where they were supposed to put it."

Senior stopper back Derek Sabbag played well defensively, according to Carpenito.

"Derek gave us a good effort," Carpenito said. "He's really stepped up and played that stopper role and he's played it as hard as he can."

Tewksbury is now 1-3 overall and 1-3 in the MVC. The Redmen play at Triton Regional Saturday morning.