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11/07/2020 11:00 PMThe East Haven girls’ soccer team finished its regular season by playing two of the top squads in the Southern Connecticut Conference last week. The Easties came away with a win and a tie for a record of 4-4-2 and a big boost of momentum heading into the playoffs.
On Nov. 2, the Yellowjackets hosted Guilford, and the two sides played to a 1-1 draw at East Haven High School. Three days later, East Haven faced Daniel Hand at Joseph Melillo Middle School and won the game by a 1-0 score.
East Haven had taken a 1-0 loss to Guilford in the teams’ previous meeting this year. This time around, the Yellowjackets notched a 1-1 tie versus Guilford after getting a goal from junior forward Emily Pycela on an assist by freshman midfielder Gianna Castellano. Senior Angelina Munoz made 17 saves in goal for East Haven, which was bolstered by the return of senior midfielder Bella Pilato, who didn’t play in the team’s first game with Guilford.
“It was nice to have the full complement of our team back. Having Bella back made an impact. We knew that we could take it to them the second time around and, with everybody healthy, we could really put a game to them,” Head Coach Jake Hackett said. “I’m extremely proud of the way they executed the game-plan. We were able to take the defending state champs to a 1-1 draw.”
On Nov. 5, East Haven hosted a Hand team that it had taken a 2-0 loss to earlier this fall. However, the Yellowjackets turned the tide in the rematch by claiming a 1-0 victory on the strength of a first-half goal from Pycela. Pilato had the assist on the goal. Munoz made 20 saves in the victory.
“Both Daniel Hand and Guilford are historically strong programs. We know what we’re getting ourselves into. It comes down to execution on the day,” said Hackett. “The girls played great soccer and played as hard as they could for the entirety of the game. Hand made us earn it that day. To put one on Hand is a big thing for us, but I told them to enjoy it, and then we have to get right back to work.”
Munoz finished the week with 37 saves between the two games. Munoz is serving as a senior captain for East Haven alongside Pilato and defender Aimee DiVerniero this year. As his team gets ready for the postseason, Coach Hackett credits Munoz for helping the Easties find their stride.
“Angelina Munoz is an absolute rare find. She is exceptional in goal. She makes saves that other keepers don’t make. She’s fearless, she comes out of her line, she goes out for crosses. Those are stats that don’t go down,” Hackett said. “Angelina leads by example and refuses to play anything less than 100 percent. The rest of the girls take example by that. It has been a special performance she is having. I couldn’t be prouder.”
In front of Munoz, East Haven’s defense has been led by DiVerniero and juniors Emily Mazzucco, Kate Pycela, and Alex Castro. Coach Hackett said that all four defenders have proved crucial with dictating how the opposition lines up against the Yellowjackets. Hackett added that sophomores Julia Crisci and freshman Valerie Sortito have stepped up and become strong varsity contributors on the back line.
On the offensive side of the ball, Emily Pycela continued her productive season by scoring both of East Haven’s goals on the week. Coach Hackett said that Pycela continues to develop as an attacker, and he’s hoping that the opposition will fear her presence.
“Emily Pycela is ruthless. She is a great goal scorer. She gets herself into the right positions. When the opportunity presents itself, she has the composure to score,” said Hackett. “Emily puts in the work. She has been doing everything we have asked. It’s a great performance by her. She is a dangerous player. You might stop her once or twice, but she is going to get through and make you pay for it.”
Coach Hackett added that the sophomore trio of center midfielders Sydney Herard, Gianna Mendez, and Pilato are all key players on the offensive end of the pitch. Junior forward/midfielder Jocelyn Lucero, junior forwards Anajha Nelson and Castellano, and sophomore midfielder Gabriella Gaetano have also been contributing on offense when their numbers are called.
East Haven is the No. 4 seed in the SCC Division B Tournament and was scheduled to face No. 5 seed Wilbur Cross in the first round on Nov. 9 (after press time). With a win, the Yellowjackets would have played top-seeded Guilford in the semifinals on Nov. 11 (after press time). If East Haven wins that game, it would play the winner of Hand and Branford for the title on Friday, Nov. 13.
Coach Hackett said that his squad is playing with more confidence after earning a win and a tie in last week’s action. Now, with the playoffs on the way, Hackett wants the Yellowjackets to show everyone in the SCC that they are ready to be contenders.
“Since I’ve come into this program, I’ve always wanted to build us up to the point where we’re in that conversation. We’ve gotten to the point where we’re in the middle. We’ve had good finishes, and I’d like us to prove we can be one of those top teams in the SCC,” Hackett said. “We have the ability, we have the players, we have everything needed. I’d like to get to this program to a point where a game with Hand is a game—not they’re supposed to come in and win. With what we’re doing, we can get ourselves there.”