By Cary Shuman
The Winthrop High School girls hockey team again proved it can skate with the best teams in Massachusetts. But just as in its first mega-matchup with Peabody, coach Butch Martucci’s Vikings came up one goal short on the scoreboard, falling to unbeaten Methuen, 2-1, in overtime, Monday at Larsen Rink.
Methuen/Tewksbury (9-0-2), ranked No. 5 in the state, scored the winning goal with 1:40 left in overtime. Methuen led 1-0 in the second period before Winthrop responded quickly with the tying goal by sophomore Angie Coscia, off a nifty pass by Talia Martucci. Francesca Indrisano also assisted on the goal. But Methuen potted the game-winner in the extra session to leave Larsen Rink with its undefeated record intact.
“Some of our parents thought the puck didn’t go in,” related Martucci. “They felt the puck never crossed the goal line.”
Junior goaltender Riley Towse kept the Vikings in contention throughout, making 26 saves in another sterling effort.
“Riley was fantastic in a back-and-forth game during which we outshot them by two,” said Martucci. “Methuen is a very, very good team.”
Martucci was pleased that his team battled an unbeaten opponent evenly for three full periods and an overtime period. “It’s not that we’re not happy about being able to battle with them, but now we have to start working a little harder so we can beat teams of this caliber,” said Martucci.
Coscia in control
Angie Coscia is having a banner sophomore campaign. Through eight games, Coscia has eight goals to go along with six assists.
“That’s a lot of goals for a sophomore and we’re only halfway through the season,” said Martucci.
Linemate Chloe Couture leads the team with assists (13) while super senior Talia Martucci leads in points (17).
“That’s high production from that line,” said Butch Martucci.
Talia Martucci is getting the Great Gretzky treatment in games, with multiple players specifically assigned to Talia from start to finish.
Winthrop takes two in league play
The Vikings remained within one game of pacesetting Peabody in the league standings with a 3-0 victory over Gloucester Saturday.
Coscia, Spencer, and Martucci scored the Vikings’ goals. Towse, despite being under the weather, determinedly kept the visitors out of the scoring column.
Last Wednesday, Winthrop skated to a 9-1 victory over Beverly.
Talia Martucci, Amelia Spencer, and Angie Coscia each had two goals while junior Avalina Coffey, senior Gabby Buonopane, and freshman Abby Githinji also lit the lamp in a convincing victory. It was the first goal of Githinji’s high school career.
Towse allowed an early breakaway goal, but “she was lights-out the rest of the game,” said Butch Martucci.
Spencer scored the next two goals, and the rout was on for the Vikings.
Winthrop (7-2-1) plays Winchester Saturday (12 p.m. at Woburn) and hosts Peabody Wednesday, Jan. 29 (6 p.m.) at Larsen in what shapes up as a must-game for at least a share of the league title.