Algonquin girls' soccer captures CMADA Class A title over Shrewsbury
MARLBOROUGH — Algonquin was in a familiar spot Wednesday on two fronts — the Titans were competing in the CMADA Class A girls' soccer championship after losing the final the previous two seasons, and they were facing off against Shrewsbury, with whom they drew, 1-1, twice this fall.
The third time proved charming in both instances for Algonquin as a goal by senior Shaila Seghal with 9:36 left lifted the Titans to a 1-0 victory at Assabet Regional.
“There was definitely relief,” Seghal said. “Shrewsbury’s a very good team with a lot of talented players, so to get that win we’ve been looking for all season, it felt great.”
“It’s hard to say that a team deserved to lose the way the match went, but I feel we had a few more chances, so hopefully we earned it,” Algonquin coach John Frederick said. “It was a great goal, and we’re super happy to beat Shrewsbury because they’re really good.”
The Titans spent the game's first 70 minutes creating more chances than their opponents to no avail, and yet they managed to break through with a goal almost out of nothing.
Hope Canada served a low cross into the box, and although Seghal could only manage to awkwardly poke an outstretched foot waist high to it, the ball looped over Shrewsbury’s keeper into the upper far corner of the net, thanks to what Frederick called a “magical touch.”
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“Hope is a very good player, and I knew she was going to get the cross off,” Seghal said. “I was aiming to use my head, but I saw it coming at my feet, and I said, ‘I have to try something I’ve never done before,’ and I just kind of went for it.
"Sometimes when you take those chances, they work for you.”
Frederick had his mind already on the state tournament, which begins Saturday for Algonquin when it hosts Lexington in a Division 1 first-round matchup. But he wanted to make sure his Titans (11-4-4) were able to appreciate what they achieved.
“Right now for the girls, I just want them to enjoy it because it’s a significant accomplishment,” Frederick said. “It used to mean a little bit more with the old system than it does now, but still based on the trophy that we won, they won a championship in Central Mass, so that means something.”
Seghal, however, acknowledged that they’ll be back in training tomorrow and carrying confidence into what she described as “a whole new season.”
In the two previous matchups with Shrewsbury, Algonquin opened the scoring in the first half, only to surrender both leads after the break. This time around, they broke the deadlock late and held on for good.
“When you win a game by one goal, I can’t really say there’s much of a difference,” Frederick said. “I think we were a little bit more on the front foot today, getting forward in the final third and making it hard. I think we were able to keep them deep for a little bit longer, play in their end and create a few more chances that we did in the first two games.”
Shrewsbury created its best opportunity three minutes after allowing the goal, when the Colonials were awarded a free kick from roughly 20 yards. A low driven shot was knocked down by goakeeper Bella Roman, and her teammates cleared the ball after a scramble.
“Bella did really well, and that was the most dangerous chance of the match for sure,” Frederick said. “It’s something we work hard on in not fouling, but we fouled, and they almost took advantage.
"I think the hardest part for Bella was the screen in front of her, and then there’s just a scramble, and that ball can go anywhere obviously. We were fortunate that we were able to fight through it and clear it.”
Shrewsbury (9-6-4) hosts No. 18 Central Catholic Saturday as the 15th seed on Saturday in a Division 1 first-round game.
—Contact Zachary Stuczko at zachary,stuczko@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ZakStudz.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Class A is for Algonquin, a title winner over Shrewsbury in girls' soccer
