Daily Hampshire Gazette - Girls soccer: Brianna Ribeiro's goal lifts Belchertown past Tewksbury, into Div. 3 Round of 16 (PHOTOS)

Belchertown’s Morghan Litz (3), right, holds possession of the ball while defended by Tewksbury’s Jordan Sheehan (8) during the MIAA Division 3 Round of 32 on Tuesday night at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham. STAFF PHOTO/JEFF LAJOIE

Belchertown’s Fallon Clancy (13), right, battles for possession with Tewksbury’s Rachel Picher (18) during the MIAA Division 3 Round of 32 on Tuesday night at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham. STAFF PHOTO/JEFF LAJOIE

Belchertown’s Lily Tellier (14) passes the ball against Tewksbury during the MIAA Division 3 Round of 32 on Tuesday night at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham. STAFF PHOTO/JEFF LAJOIE

Belchertown’s Alexa Karabetsos (24) steals the ball from Tewksbury’s Abby Hansbury (13) during the MIAA Division 3 Round of 32 on Tuesday night at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham. STAFF PHOTO/JEFF LAJOIE

Belchertown’s Fallon Clancy (13) dribbles the ball against Tewksbury during the MIAA Division 3 Round of 32 on Tuesday night at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham. STAFF PHOTO/JEFF LAJOIE

By RYAN AMES

Staff Writer

WILBRAHAM – Brianna Ribeiro curled in the game’s only goal, and Belchertown girls soccer team bested Tewksbury, 1-0, in the Round of 32 of the MIAA Div 3 girls soccer state tournament on Tuesday at Minnechaug Regional High School.

Ribeiro’s tally came in the 33rd minute for the No. 16 Orioles, and they survived a late push from the No. 17 Redmen to advance to the Round of 16.

“I thought we did well in spurts,” Belchertown head coach Kyle Thibeault. “[Tewksbury] were quick, credit to them and their team for coming out here, a long bus ride, usually that [hurts] a lot of teams as far as the bus ride, getting out here. They battled us and it seemed like they wanted the ball a little bit more at times, but credit to our team, once we kind of settled in a little and got the ball moving, and play our game, we had an opportunity to score a goal.”

Ribeiro broke the deadlock from the far side of the box after taking a heads-up pass from Mia Corish. Ribeiro then outmuscled the incoming Tewksbury defender and booted the ball into the back of the mesh, just outside of the Redmen keeper’s hands, for the deciding strike.

‘[Ribeiro] is used to playing in the center-mid, years past we moved her to the forward position,” Thibeault said. “Between last year and this year, she always gets herself in the right spot at the right time and can bury the ball in the back of the net, which is huge.

“The past two games, she’s scored the game-winners, really,” Thibeault said. “We were up 2-0 against South Hadley [in the Class B final], but she scored the second one to help solidify and help put the nail in the coffin, if you will. She just seems to be in the right place, right time and has that soccer IQ to really help us and finish the ball in the back of the net.”

With less than five minutes remaining in regulation, Tewksbury earned consecutive corner kicks, yet the visitors couldn’t capitalize as the Orioles defense, highlighted by goalkeeper Jillian DeBarge, turned aside each opportunity.

DeBarge’s best save came during the waning minutes of the first half as the senior keeper punched a floater just above the crossbar and out of danger, to keep Belchertown ahead, 1-0, in what felt like a critical junction of the matchup.

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“Having a goalie like [DeBarge], it makes our confidence great,” Thibeault said. “She made a great save in the first half to keep us in it and it is a true asset to this team.”

Belchertown will have a familiar opponent on deck as top-seeded Norwell awaits in the Round of 16. Norwell shut out No. 32 Swampscott, 5-0, to move on to the next round.

“We’ve played them three out of the four years now [in the state tournament],” Thibeault said. “Which is kind of crazy to think about because the tournament is meant to play different people. You got to beat the best to be the best, so I think if we play our ‘A-game’, we can battle any team in the state.”

Norwell won the Division 3 state title last year with a 1-0 victory against Hanover. Date and time for the Round of 16 showdown was still to be determined at press time.