Gulls Win Battle of Northshore Rivals

Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications 

SALEM, Mass. --The Endicott Gulls defeated their Northshore rival the Salem State Vikings 9-1 at Alumni Field on Tuesday evening. The win took the Gulls' season record to an impressive 8-2-1, while the Vikings slipped to a disappointing 3-7-1.  

Prior to the game, coach Wood had discussed whether she considered this match to be a rivalry. "I think it is a rivalry, their coach and I are good friends; we were teammates. I think that we are always trying to push each other to be better. We always cheer each other on. I think for the kids it matters though because if you can compete with Endicott you can compete with the best in the conference…"   

Endicott began the game on the offensive, relentlessly attacking the Vikings' zone. Jaime O'Connor (Hudson, N.H.) made a vital block early on, but goalkeeper Ava Guyer (East Granby, Connecticut), did not disappoint in the first five minutes of the game, making three saves. Despite her best efforts, Endicott eventually broke through, with Gabrielle Klindtworth (Guilderland, N.Y.), finding the back of the net. 

Despite being down 1-0, the Vikings didn't give up. They continued to block shots and prevent the Gulls from scoring. Michelle Donahue's (Melrose, Mass.) shot nearly found the net, but Guyer made a magnificent stop to deny her. However, the Gulls added another goal to increase their lead to 2-0, with Riley Rischitelli (North Brookfield, Mass.), scoring on an unassisted goal.

Later, Ella Morgan (Salem, Mass.) kicked the ball in mid-air into the net to give the Gulls a 3-0 lead. However, a few seconds later, the Vikings answered as Savannah Scrodin (Mount Abraham, Vt.), scored for the Vikings, reducing the deficit to 3-1. 

Gillian Magnier (Shelburne, Vt.) added another goal, making it 4-1 for the Gulls. Morgan added another goal, her second of the game, with a well-placed shot from 10 yards out. This left the Vikings trailing by four goals at the half (5-1). Guyer saved 15 of 19 shots on goal, while Rosalina Caliri (East Greenwich, R.I.) had no saves and conceded one goal. 

To start the second half, Endicott replaced their goalkeeper with Samantha MacCormack (Danvers, Mass.), who played the remaining 45 minutes of the game. The Vikings were determined to make a comeback in the second half, but the Gulls were quick off the blocks, with Grace Jewett (Millis, Mass.), scoring a goal. 

Endicott continued to attack the Vikings' zone, with Rischitelli scoring her second goal of the game, increasing the Gulls' lead to 7-1. Hannah Lord (Bedford, N.H.) then added another goal, sliding in to kick the ball to make it 8-1. The Vikings almost scored a second goal, but unfortunately, Angelina Venditti (East Lyme, Conn.), blocked the shot, preventing them from reducing the deficit further. 

Guyer made an impressive save a few minutes later, but Alexandria Dostie (Essex Junction, Vt.), scored to increase the Gulls' lead to eight. Endicott tried to add to their lead several times, but they couldn't find the back of the net. Guyer saved 20 of 29 shots on goal, while McCormack played the final 45 minutes of the game, saving four shots on goal. 

The Vikings will look to bounce back on Saturday afternoon when they take on Bridgewater, with the game scheduled to kick off at noon.