2024 MIAA Women’s Soccer Tournament Bracket Breakdown

The Dual County League is well represented. No. 8 Acton-Boxboro, No. 11 Concord-Carlisle and No. 15 Lincoln-Sudbury are in Division I. Weston are third in Division Three.

Hockomock is highlighted by No. 6 King Philip and No. 13 Franklin in Division 1, and No. 4 Mansfield and No. 9 Oliver Ames in D2. The Three Valley League has opponents in the top three divisions: No. 7 Hopkinton in D1, No. 5 Holliston in D2, No. 2 Medfield and No. 7 Dover-Sherborn in D3.

Let’s take a closer look at each bracket:

Division 1

Darling: No. 1 Natick (15-0-1)

Sleeping place: No. 7 Hopkinton (15-1-2)

Best match of the first round: No. 18 Woburn (12-3-3) and No. 15 Lincoln-Sudbury (10-7-1)

Longest trip to first round: No. 34 Haverhill (8-6-4) and No. 31 Plymouth North (7-8-3), 75.9 miles.

Players to watchStars: Annie Comella (Wellesley Sr.), Dani Lomuscio (King Philip Sr.), Ruby Mathis (Acton-Boxborough Jr.), Amanda Peck (Bishop Feehan Sr.), Maddie Recupero (Hopkinton Sr.)

Overview: The Bay State Conference boasts a top-three seed. Natick’s top defense of Kendall Hacker, Stella Boggis and Kiera Henderson has allowed just three goals all season as the Redhawks look to defend their state title. Penn State commit Emily Burnham scored 13 goals to complement Annie Comella’s scoring for second-place Wellesley. No. 3 Brooklyn is battle-tested and has a well-rounded attack in Sydney Freese, Anna Lashley and Makena Hammond.

The rest of the bracket will provide plenty of competition. Brooke Kennedy is the wizard of Bishop Feehan’s midfield number four. Nina Tsouganatos (8 goals, 15 assists) was as good as it gets at center back in Hopkinton’s No. 7, forming a powerful duo with star Maddie Recupero (25 goals, 15 assists). Young centre-back Gabriella Hermsdorf has cemented herself as Winchester’s 12th backline, bringing her to 14 clean sheets in 18 matches. No. 6 King Philip, No. 8 Acton-Boxboro and No. 13 Franklin will prove challenging.

Division 2

Darling: Masconomet No. 1 (17-0-1).

Sleeping place: No. 9 Oliver Ames (9-3-4)

Best match of the first round: No. 21 Bishop Stang (13-4-1) and No. 12 Westwood (10-6-2)

The longest way to the first end: No. 18 Longmeadow (8-4-6) and No. 15 Notre Dame (Hingham) (8-6-3), 112 miles.

Players to watchStars: Maggie Blosser (Musconomet, So), Megan Carney (Duxbury Sr.), Taylor DeVos (Oliver Ames Sr.), Eli Fernandez (Mansfield Jr.), Emily Fernandez (Somerset Berkeley Jr.)

Review: Top-ranked Masconomet completed its third straight undefeated regular season with stellar contributions throughout the lineup, led by the leadership and strong play of senior Amanda Schneider. No. 2 Duxbury boasts the Patriot League’s leading scorer in Megan Carney, but Lauren Sutliff (14 goals, 14 assists) has been difficult for the defense to handle all season.

Under first-year coach Moussa Traore, No. 6 Somerset Berkeley have compiled a perfect 18-0-0 regular season record. Among the juniors, Arianna Cecia (22 goals, 5 assists) and Emily Fernandez (11 goals, 17 assists) distinguished themselves. Fernandez’s offensive output is particularly impressive given that she plays as a defensive midfielder.

Number 4 Mansfield will be hoping to return to the championship game after falling short last year. No. 5 Holliston and No. 12 Westwood are capable of beating anyone, going toe-to-toe with Division I leader Hopkinton. Defending champion No. 15 Notre Dame (Hingham) took on a tough schedule and twice faced No. 14 Scituate, which will have a tough time.

Division 3

Darling: No. 1 Norwell (18-0-2)

Sleeping place: No. 7 Danvers (12-3-3)

Best match of the first round: No. 18 St. Mary’s (9-6-3) and No. 15 Hanover (11-6-1)

Longest trip to first round: No. 35 Martha’s Vineyard (10-6-0) and No. 30 Bishop Fenwick (7-8-3), 123 miles.

Players to watch: Emma Darling (Weston Sr.), Kenzie Ellis (Nipmuc Jr.), Ellie Lanciani (North Reading Jr.), Milla Lee (Dover-Sherborne Sr.), Georgia Prouty (Danvers Sr.)

Review: No. 1 Norvell has posted an 18-0-2 record under first-year coach Rob Williams and hasn’t lost since the start of last season. The Clippers will look to defend their title, which features five players with at least 23 points. Olga Spasich and Eden Wheeler represent one of the best center back duos in the state.

There is no shortage of prolific scorers, with seniors Emma Darling (No. 3 Weston), Milla Lee (No. 5 Dover-Sherborn) and Georgia Prouty (No. 7 Danvers) among the top scorers in the region. Leading No. 9 Saugus is high-scoring junior Maddison Botta. Senior Alexis Greenblott and No. 10 Newburyport can turn any team around.

Division 4

Darling: No. 2 Hamilton-Wenham (14-0-4)

Sleeping place: No. 4 Cohasset (12-3-1)

Best match of the first round: No. 22 Nantucket (10-5-3) and No. 11 Lunenburg (15-1-1)

Longest trip to first round: No. 33 Easthampton (12-4-2) and No. 32 Sturgis East (10-4-3), 159 miles

Players to watch: Tess Barrett (Cohasset Sr.), Emily Dunham (Rockland Sr.), Anna Joseph (Sutton Sr.), Annie Moynihan (Hamilton-Wenham Sr.), Emma Rose (Lynnfield Sr.)

Review: No 1 Sutton are hoping to repeat as Division Four champions after promotion from Division Five ahead of last season. Overall, the Suzies won three straight state titles, with Anna Joseph (Mass Lowell) at the center of it all.

No strangers to lifting equipment are Hamilton-Wenham No. 2 and Cohasset No. 4. Senior Annie Moynihan is a jack of all trades for the Generals. Tess Barrett is a talent to watch for the Skippers as Boston College topped 200 career points last week.

No. 3 Lynnfield and No. 7 South Hadley will challenge any team.

Division 5

Darling: Building No. 2 (12-2-4)

Sleeping place: No. 6 St. John Paul II (14-4-1).

Best match of the first round: No. 17 Westport (12-2-3) and No. 16 Nashoba Valley Tech (16-2-0).

Longest trip to first round: No. 38 Boston Collegiate Charter (14-3-2) and No. 27 Drury (6-9-2), 145 miles.

Players to watchStars: Lucia Antonucci (Mystic Valley Jr.), Reagan Dillon (St. John Paul II Jr.), Hannah Murphy (Monson Jr.), Lizzie Shocker (Tahanto Jr.), Ellie Thomas (Hull Sr.)

Review: No. 11 Monson competes as the defending champion and has been to title matches in back-to-back seasons. Junior Hannah Murphy surpassed 200 points for her career this season.

Along with Ellie Thomas (31 goals, 5 assists), senior Fallon Ryan (16 goals, 16 assists) scored her 100th career point this season as Hull has a powerful offensive duo. Senior Elsie Harper provides strong support for the Pirates.

Eighth-grader Lily Veraca scored 23 goals for No. 17 Westport, along with eighth-grader Ella Camara (14 goals).

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Cam Kerry can be reached at [email protected]. Henry Dinh-Price can be reached at [email protected].