| Dedham | 2 |
| Medway | 1 |
TAUNTON — It took 100 minutes of action and seven rounds of penalty kicks, but the Dedham girls' soccer team clinched its first South sectional crown since 2005 with a 2-1 victory by winning a 5-4 penalty-kick shootout over Medway at Taunton High Sunday afternoon.
The Marauders (14-2-6) advance to the Division 3 EMass Final, where they will face Lynnfield Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Brockton High.
"It's the heart and the will of them," Dedham coach Don Savi said about what makes his team special. "They just won't give up. They hate to lose . . . even in practice."
Tied after regulation, Medway (17-2-3) had the best chances of the two 10-minute overtime periods. Dedham was forced to make a pair of blocked shots from within the penalty area in each overtime period, sending the game to penalty kicks.
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In the best-of-five shootout, Medway keeper Erin O'Rourke (three saves) steered Dedham's offering wide to open the fourth round. Not to be outdone, Elizabeth Balzarini (12 saves) cleared the ensuing kick by lunging to her left.
Round 6 began with another O'Rourke save, but Medway's would-be winning kick ricocheted off the crossbar and back into the field of play.
Dedham senior Vanessa Ciampa skipped the ball to the right of O'Rourke for the opening goal in Round 7. A moment later, maroon flooded the field in celebration as Balzarini stopped a dead-center bid for goal.
Days removed from a 17-round shootout victory in the Division 3 South quarterfinals against Dover-Sherborn, Balzarini said she learned firsthand that trusting your instinct awards a keeper the best chance in a shootout.
"I knew we were going to make our shots and I was going to make my saves," Balzarini said. "I just had to go in with a positive mind-set."
Senior Meghan McFarland opened the scoring for Dedham in the 29th minute, beating O'Rourke to a feed from sophomore Melissa Bradbury and tucking the ball inside the far post.
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Tempo favored the Mustangs in the second half as they chased the equalizer, before they netted the equalizer in the 59th minute.
Balzarini punched a corner kick clear from the goalmouth and a Dedham defender blocked the rebound shot. However, senior captain Colleen Sheehan found the ball and some space in the scrum to level the score.