By Evan Triantafilidis
news@southburyrecord.com
The Pomperaug girls soccer team extended its unbeaten run with a dramatic finish on Thursday night, connecting on a final-minute goal to beat Weston 1-0.
Madelyn DiDonato delivered the game-winner with 32 seconds remaining, capping a hard-fought match that kept the Panthers atop the SWC standings at 7-1-0. DiDonato was named player of the game for her decisive strike.
“All I was thinking was that it has to go in the net,” said DiDonato following the victory.
Pomperaug head coach Tony Viscuso credited his team’s tactical awareness in the final moments of the match that led up to the game-winning score.
“This was really a team effort,” said Viscuso. “I couldn’t be more proud of the effort they gave.”
Pomperaug’s defensive identity was on display again, with goalkeeper Madelyn Martino making some key second-half saves, including one with 90 seconds remaining on the clock.
In the Panthers’ seven conference games, Martino has kept a clean sheet in all but one – a 2-1 win against Bethel in the team’s previous match.
“When Bethel scored against me, my mindset was to just keep going and start the next streak,” said Martino following Thursday’s win.
Regan Brooks and Avery Macumber provided the scoring in the away match last Saturday, with a standout performance coming from Campbell Macumber.
The team has fully embraced the defensive mentality that their first-year head coach has emphasized, with high-intensity pressing depending on their opponent, and a collective effort that has become one of Pomperaug’s defining strengths this season.
Senior centerback Mariella Genovese explained, “We want to get better at finding the back of the net, but how we push other teams and prevent them from finding the back of the net says everything about how we play and how intense we are.”
Martino added, “I think we’ve adapted really well to what he has to say, especially with our training over the summer.”
The final moments of Thursday’s match didn’t come without some controversy, as Weston head coach Gustavo Reaes came onto the field to protest the game’s only goal, pointing to a player on his team who sustained an injury during the play.
Ultimately, the goal counted, and the final 32 seconds were played out, bringing a finale to a playoff-like atmosphere in the second half.
“Games like this give us scars that we will use to improve,” said Reaes after the game. “Pomperaug is a great team that is really well-coached. It was a great SWC battle until the last second.”
In a game that he says could have gone either way, Reaes said he would rather take a loss like this in the final 30 seconds of a regular season game than in a high-stakes playoff match.
“For our team, it’s a building block for the next time,” Reaes added.
Pomperaug’s unbeaten streak has now stretched to eight games as they prepare for the second half of their regular season, with notable away matches at both Brookfield and Newtown later in October, as well as a home game against Masuk.
The Panthers will play a non-league game against Thomaston on Monday, September 29, at Pomperaug High School. The following day, the Panthers are back in action against Kolbe Cathedral in a 6:00 p.m. away game.
The Southbury Record 