BELMONT — No. 8 Belmont defeated No. 9 Central Catholic, 2–0, in the Round of 16 of the MIAA Division 1 Girls Soccer Tournament on Monday evening.
The Raiders (10–2–1) entered the matchup fresh off a commanding 6–0 win over Attleboro in the preliminary round. The host Marauders (14–2–2) also carried momentum after a 2–0 victory against Framingham last Thursday.
Both of Belmont’s goals came from senior striker Danica Zicha, who continued her standout season.
“This is my senior year playing in the tournament — it’s one and done, so I’m going to give it my all,” Zicha said. “Everyone’s giving it their all. The weather wasn’t great, but I tried to use it to my advantage, keeping my shots low and just pushing through. We had so many chances, and it showed.”
Zicha opened the scoring just two minutes into the match, giving Belmont early control. She struck again midway through the first half — her 35th goal of the season — off an assist from sophomore Mackenzie Tierney, doubling the Marauders’ lead.
“She came into this game very hungry,” said fourth-year head coach Jemmy Cange. “She’s been out the past two years, and today she played on another level. Everything goes through her, and she just keeps fighting from the first minute to the last.”
Despite the on-and-off downpour, Belmont maintained pressure throughout the game. Tierney created several strong scoring opportunities, while goalkeepers Martha Timas and Ruth Christensen combined for a shutout performance. Christensen, who entered in the second half, made several key saves to preserve the clean sheet.
Central Catholic generated chances of their own, including a close-range shot from Lucy Irwin with 26 minutes left, but Belmont’s defense held firm through the very last minutes of the game.
The Marauders advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face top-seeded Needham.
“Needham’s a great team, but we’re not worried,” Cange said. “We have a game plan — we’ve stuck to it all season, and it’s gotten us here. They’re No. 1 for a reason, but we’re ready for the challenge, and I’m excited for the match.”
Central Catholic concludes its season at 10–2–1, while Belmont moves on in pursuit of a spot in the state semifinals
