HADLEY – Holding strong to a two-goal lead midway through the second half, the Hopkins Academy girls soccer team could feel the momentum shifting in favor of its opponent, Smith Academy.
The Falcons cut the deficit to 3-1 and ramped up their pressure and intensity.
But Helen Vissas wasn’t ready to let Smith Academy back into the game.
The Hopkins junior found herself open at the top of the 18, took a touch, and blasted a shot by Falcons goalie Madison Zononi to bring her team’s lead back to three and restore some confidence. That goal – Vissas’ second of the contest – brought the game to its 4-1 final, as the Golden Hawks handed the Falcons their first loss of the season on a summer-like Tuesday afternoon.
With how Smith Academy (5-1) was ramping up its intensity, Hopkins head coach Vincent Catania let out a sigh of relief when Vissas found the back of the net to put any chances at a comeback to rest.
“It felt like a weight was lifted off our shoulders, and I think as a team it brought back our confidence,” Catania said. “We started the second half really flat. Through the first 15-20 minutes of the second half, we were on our heels. That goal reminded us that we’re capable of doing this, and it was a confidence booster for everybody.”
Vissas’ goal total now stands at nine on the season, and a good number have come from operating at the top of the box. In the first half, she got the scoring started with a similar play. Vissas received a pass from sophomore Alayna Bailey in the same location, turned through a Smith Academy double team and sent a left-footer by the dive of Zononi.
“When she’s on, she’s on,” Catania said of Helen. “Her and her sister (Ephie Vissas, seven goals this season)… when they’re on, there’s really nobody that’s going to stop them. A lot of the times, right at the top of the box, that’s Helen’s spot. She takes a touch, all she has to do is look up, and she’s very good on both feet. She’s very composed with the ball and very disciplined, and that’s what’s leading to her success.”
Falcons head coach David Zononi was pleased to see the way his team responded to a 3-0 halftime deficit, but knows they possess the ability to be much better than they were on Tuesday.
“We just had an off day,” Zononi said. “We didn’t really show up and play the way we’ve been playing, and sometimes during a season you need a wake-up call. Hopefully this is that for us. We just gotta be better.”
Now Zononi is well aware of what his team needs to improve upon, but there isn’t much practice time for them to do so. The Falcons have two more games this week before playing five next week.
“We play three this week, five next week because of all the cancelations, so there’s just really not a lot of time to practice,” Zononi said. “We’ve gotta show up and play. And they’re capable, they know what they’re capable of. Chalk it up as a loss today, and hope we bounce back tomorrow.”
Hopkins (6-1-1) took advantage of the Falcons defense pushing up just far enough to the point where the Golden Hawks could counter attack. They had odd-player rushes heading back the other direction, with lots of 3-on-2, 3-on-1, and 4-on-2 situations. This allowed Bailey, who assisted Vissas’ first goal, to uncork a solo run down the right sideline all by herself. Bailey found herself with just the goalie to beat, and did so successfully to make it 2-0.
Shortly after, Olivia Earle tapped home a rebound coming from Cassandra Dion’s foot that Zononi originally saved, bringing the score to 3-0. This was also on a counter attack, and Smith Academy had nobody home to challenge Earle’s putback attempt.
Catania still believes his team missed plenty of chances, but was happy they built a nice cushion at the break.
“[I’ll always take 3-0], absolutely,” he said. “We had opportunities, specifically like four or five times we counter-attacked really well… but we played it right to their defenders. Their defenders were in great position, but we can’t take those for granted, because in a game like this every goal counts. Most of the game was played in the middle of the field.”
Caitlin Graves scored the lone goal from the Falcons, giving her an impressive 10 this season. Zononi has had Graves move all around the field, serving as a Swiss Army knife for the Smith Academy team. She’s been nothing short of terrific in 2023.
“She’s a kid that just gives everything no matter where we play her,” Zononi said. “We play her in the back, we play her in the middle, we play her up front, and she produces every single time she goes out. We probably limit some of the statistical things she could achieve just by playing her back on defense. She works her tail off and we’re lucky to have her.”
Smith Academy hosts Greenfield on Wednesday at 4 p.m., while Hopkins plays host to Lee on Thursday at 4 p.m.
