It could have been anyone’s game on September 3rd. Two NEC powerhouses — ones that finished neck and neck in last year’s standings — are both vying for another season of dominance that will (hopefully) culminate in an MIAA title. Both teams have the pieces to the puzzle that can lead them to that success: a strong core of veterans, gritty rookies, raw talent, and chemistry.
The two teams have already met before their opener, matter of fact. This August, they played each other twice in the Top Notch tournament, a midsummer tradition where many NEC (as well as the CCL and CC leagues) teams go head-to-head. Gloucester beat Beverly 3-0 in pool play, solidifying themselves as the #1 seed entering Top Notch’s playoffs. The Fishermen breezed by the Danvers Falcons 2-0 in the semi-finals, while Beverly beat Masco in a nail-biting shootout.
In the Top Notch Championship, Fiona Black scored twice to lead Gloucester to a 2-0 victory over the Panthers and win the cup for the first time since 2023. The Fishermen did this without multi-time NEC All-Conference goalie Keagan Jewell in net, instead turning to backup Aleena Brown, who delivered 15+ saves.
But it was Beverly who took the win when it mattered most, besting Gloucester 3-2 in their season opener.
After an Avery Height goal in the second quarter, Beverly took the lead and never looked back. Maddie Jewell scored off an Olivia Madruga corner shot — one of which tied the game at one a piece — but Beverly quickly took back control in commanding fashion.
The Panthers controlled Gloucester in nearly every aspect of the game: corners, shots for, shots against, and the overall pace of gameplay. Beverly simply had an edge over their NEC foes, for whatever reason that may have been.
The Panthers would score two more times in the third quarter to lengthen their lead to two goals. Mia Rodolosi cut the deficit in half with 32 seconds left to play, but it wasn’t enough to pass by the co-defending NEC champions. Goalie Charlotte Stevens allowed just 6 shots for the entire game, stopping four. Keagan Jewell stopped nine shots in the Gloucester net.
The Fishermen are now 0-1 in the young season before they face two more NEC matches to start the year.
