TMHS Girls Soccer Team Opens Up Big

picked up right where it left off last fall, storming out of the gates with a lopsided, 5-0 win over Methuen Tuesday afternoon at the Livingston Street fields.

scored a three-goal hat trick and as the defending Merrimack Valley Conference Division 2 champions served notice that they will be back in the mix this fall.

Spencer wasted no time in getting the Redmen off to a fast start, scoring two goals in the first 10 minutes of the game and adding a third before halftime as Tewksbury controlled this game from start to finish. It was Spencer's first career hat trick.

Spencer scored on a header off a cross from sophomore striker Kashka Gammon with just four minutes gone in the game, and then danced through the Methuen defense and slid another one home to make it 2-0 just five minutes later.

"It was nice to get a quick lead like that," "It allows you to relax a little bit and play your game without feeling much pressure."

Tewksbury increased its lead to 3-0 midway through the first period when Spencer was taken down from behind in the penalty box on a breakaway, and a penalty kick was awarded. Chaet, who led the MVC in scoring a year ago, took the penalty kick and slammed it home.

Spencer completed her hat trick late in the first half when she took a Chaet pass and dribbled through three defenders to make it 4-0 in favor of Tewksbury.

Chaet completed the scoring in the second half, converting a pretty pass from Gammon (two assists) to make it 5-0.

Junior goaltender Rebecca Davies made five saves, but it was the young defensive line-up in front of Davies that kept Methuen in check all day. Tewksbury started three sophomores; Meaghan Blaisdell, Olivia Gallella and Kelly Quigley on the back line along with senior Megan Bouthot, but the TMHS back-liners played like seasoned veterans.

Chaet also had a strong game, controlling the middle of the field and winning many 50/50 balls.

"That's what we're looking for out of her," Keefe said of Chaet. "She controlled the middle of the field today. She's getting more comfortable in the position every day."

Overall, Keefe was more than satisfied with his team's opening day effort.

"There were times when we could have been more decisive and maybe had a little more courage making the plays, but that just comes with time," he said. "Once they feel more confident, they'll start making the plays more smoothly. It's a work in progress.

"But I'm happy about us scoring five goals and I'm even happier about them (Methuen) scoring none."

Tewksbury (1-0) hosts Haverhill on Thursday at 3:30. Haverhill is 0-3-1 in four games so far, but the Hillies played close games against both Dracut and Central Catholic, losing 1-0 both times.

Tewksbury boys fall to Chelmsford, 4-2

spotted Chelmsford an early 2-0 lead on a pair of penalty kicks, then battled back to make a game of it before dropping a 4-2 decision to the Lions Tuesday night in Chelmsford.

Chelmsford's Taylor Dawson made good on both of his penalty kicks, one just eight minutes into the game and the other at the 22-minute mark of the first half. Casey Hamill made it 3-0 six minutes later, but the visiting Redmen refused to go away easily.

scored his first two goals of the season in the final 15 minutes of the first half to pull Tewksbury to within a goal at 3-2. But the Chelmsford defense stiffened and the Lions added a second-half insurance goal while holding the Redmen scoreless over the final 40 minutes.

"A lot of teams would have wrapped it up down 3-0, but our guys didn't," said Tewksbury coach Tom Carpenito. "They showed a lot of moxie coming back to 3-2 at halftime."

The Redmen could only muster a handful of scoring chances in the second half, however, while Chelmsford . Bouthot made 19 saves in the game.

"He kept us in it, without question," Carpenito said of Bouthot. "It was another standout performance from our goalkeeper. Not many keepers have to face 20 shots in a game."

Tewksbury falls to 1-2 in the Merrimack Valley Conference and will face perennial MVC power Andover Thursday night on the road.