The Winthrop High girls hockey team handed Peabody its first loss of the season, 1-0, Monday at Larsen Rink at the Mike Eruzione Center.
Reese Ferrara scored the game’s only goal with eight minutes left in the game. Amelia Spencer assisted on the goal. Ferrara connected on a rebound to the delight of Winthrop’s hometown fans.
Sophomore goaltender Riley Towse backed a stellar defensive effort that kept a high-scoring Peabody contingent off the scoreboard for the first time this season.
“Riley has been excellent all season,” said Martucci. “She already has 31 career wins and 11 shutouts.”
Martucci also hailed his defense as “the best in the business,” lauding Adrianna Rizzotto, Avalina Coffey, Tegan Pereira, Amelia Spencer, Fran Indresano, and Izi Hain for their contributions all season.
“It was a huge victory for us.” said Winthrop head coach Butch Martucci, whose team had fallen to the Tanners (2-1) in the first meeting, halting the Vikings’ 41-game regular season winning streak. “We’re trying to improve our seeding for the State Tournament. The last two years we were undefeated at the end of the seasons, but our seedings weren’t too high. Right now, we’re the No. 8 seed (in Division 1), and we’re trying to stay in that area.”
Winthrop’s seeding has been bolstered by Peabody and Gloucester’s strong seasons, a victory over Middlesex League power Winchester, and other powerful opponents on the schedule such as this Saturday’s matchup against Falmouth, the No. 1-ranked team in Division 2.
Winthrop carries an 11-2-2 record into the inter-divisional showdown with the Falmouth Clippers Saturday at 1 p.m.