PREVIEW
Foxboro (7-0-2) is the two-time defending Davenport division champions and enters Wednesday’s rematch with Canton (7-1-1) with a one-point lead in the league following the 1-0 victory on Monday. Even down to 10 players after a sending off, the Warriors showed defensive resilience to hold out against Canton’s dynamic attacking threat and pull out the win. That sets up a winner-takes-all showdown in the regular season finale. Canton wins and the Bulldogs claim their first title since 2012. Foxboro needs a win or a draw to wrap up a three-peat.
It is a matchup that certainly promises goals and attacking flair, as these are the top two scoring teams in the league (Foxboro has 33 goals and Canton has 29) and combined they have five of the top six scorers in the league. Jordyn Collins leads the line for the Warriors, scoring her 10th goal of the season in Monday’s win, and she gets plenty of help from midfielder Kailee McCabe. They have 10 goals and six assists apiece, leading the league in both those categories as well as total points. Katelyn Mollica adds speed and width on the right and Alyssa Vandenboom adds another creative threat to play alongside Collins (she had the assist on Monday’s game-winner). Canton matches that with the trio of Elisa Diletizia, Olivia Rodman, and Gabriella Herivaux, who have combined for 19 goals between them. Their ability to switch positions and attack down both wings makes them hard to contain. Mia Gilmore is one of the league’s top midfield playmakers and Emily McCabe is developing into a top provider as well.
All that attacking power will come up against two stout defenses. Foxboro showed its mettle by holding onto a clean sheet on Monday despite being down a player for 50 minutes. Jordan Carman has been excellent in the stopper role but looks like she’ll be moving into goal to replace Morgan Sylvestre, who received the red card. Freshman Lindsey Resnick has emerged as a top young central defender and Emma Dahl and Meghan Burke have been great at covering the wings in Foxboro’s back three. Canton has played with more of a standard back four. Allie McCabe and freshman Ava Gilmore, another impressive rookie defender, have controlled the center with Anne Hoban on the right and freshman Mekhala Costello on the left. Canton also gets help from senior Sarai Costello, who has stepped right into the lineup and been one of the league’s top defensive midfielders.
This abbreviated, complicated season all comes down to the final game to determine the winner in the Davenport division. Both teams like to get the ball down and play through the midfield, which makes for a tight, entertaining game and the result (and with it the league title) could all come down to one goal.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
November 2, 2020 – Foxboro 1, Canton 0 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from the game. Jordyn Collins opened the scoring in the 25th minute, placing a shot off the far post on an assist by Alyssa Vandenboom. Five minutes later, keeper Morgan Sylvestre was sent off for a foul just outside the box that denied a goal-scoring opportunity. The Warriors put in a strong defensive performance to keep the Bulldogs at bay for 50 minutes despite being down to 10 players. Jordan Carman earned the clean sheet, in her first varsity minutes playing goalie. Canton’s best chance to equalize came in the 70th minute when Gabriella Herivaux’s shot off an Anne Hoban cross was inches over the bar. With the win Foxboro moved into first by a point.
October 15, 2019 – Foxboro 4, Canton 1 – Final – Foxboro scored late in the first half to level the game and then tallied three unanswered goals in the second half to earn two points. Canton took a 1-0 lead midway through the first but sophomore Kailee McCabe found the equalizer for the Warriors with five minutes left in the first half. Lizzy Davis (from Katelyn Mollica) and Kendra Wentling each found the back of the net while McCabe bagged her second of the game with 11 minutes to go to secure the win.
September 9, 2019 – Foxboro 6, Canton 0 – Final – Foxboro exploded for four goals in the second half to notch a big win on the road over Canton. Jordyn Collins scored a hat trick to pace the offense while Kailee McCabe, Katelyn Mollica (assist) and Lizzy Davis each scored once for the Warriors. Kendra Wentling and Olivia Nicholson each had an assist in the win.
October 28, 2018 – Foxboro 5, Canton 1 – Final – Foxboro built a 3-0 advantage by halftime and never looked back for its 14th win of the season. Katelyn Mollica had a goal and assist to pace the Foxboro offense while Kenzi Fraser, Kaitryn Franchino, Jordyn Collins, and Grace Ferguson each scored once. Kendra Wentling and Kailee McCabe each added an assist in the win. “I’m so proud of these girls and the amazing season they’ve had,” said Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup. “I am so excited to see what they can do in the tournament.”
September 22, 2019 – Foxboro 2, Canton 2 – Final – Foxboro built a 2-0 lead but Canton scored twice in the final 20 minutes to earn a draw. Sophomore Katelyn Mollica put the hosts up 1-0 in the 10th minute, an advantage Foxboro took into halftime. Ten minutes into the second half, Kaitryn Franchino scored her second goal in as many games to make it 2-0. But Canton scored on a penalty kick in the 62nd minute and tied the game in the 71st minute to earn a point on the road.
POLL
