Martinez nets four
Davies striker scores four goals for second
time this season in Patriots’ 4-2 victory over
Woonsocket Tuesday.
LINCOLN — Ivelisse Martinez took a most humble approach to describing her thoughts after recording her second fourgoal game in as many tries on Tuesday afternoon.
The Davies Tech senior co-captain and forward/midfielder had just outscored Division III foe Woonsocket by herself at the Patriots’ athletic complex, but she explained it never would have happened without the players around her.
“I mean, I had the help of my entire team,” an excited Martinez said after the Pats had improved to 2-0-0 overall and in league play. “They’re the ones who gave me the passes and helped me. I just shot it and did the best I could for the team.
“I will say that my fellow captain (senior Brenna Williams) would hold captains’ practices over the summer, and most of the girls showed up to get ready for the season,” she added. “We worked a lot on running, our ball skills and passing. I mean, we made the playoffs for the past two seasons, but we didn’t last long.
“This year, we all want to go further, make the finals.”
It’s no surprise where Martinez’ talent comes from; she began playing youth soccer in Pawtucket at eight, and has been involved since. This past summer, she happened to be involved not only with the high school program’s summer camp but also the Storm travel team and the Bruno United FC program based out of Rehoboth, Massachusetts.
“She follows a credo: ‘Ball is life,’” laughed veteran mentor Susan Brassard. “She lives soccer, breathes it, sleeps it, drinks it. It’s all that experience she’s got; you’d think she’d get tired of it. Not Ivie (pronounced EEV-ee). It’s also helps that she loves it. It’s part of her very being.”
Martinez also erupted for four in Davies’ 5-1 plastering of Tolman in the season opener, so her latest endeavor no leaves her with a whopping eight tallies on the campaign.
Still, the Villa Novans (0-2-0) curtailed her production during a scoreless first half.
“We decided to try a new formation on both sides of the field (on Tuesday), and – in the first half – everything looked good,” stated WHS coach Tiffany Godbout. “In the second, everything fell apart; they didn’t look like they wanted to play anymore, and I have no idea why.
“I told them afterward that we were playing out of position, we weren’t communicating with each other and didn’t have that inner drive or desire to win,” she added. “I also said, ‘I don’t know how to give you that oomph. It’s got to come from deep down inside. You’re going to have to figure it out among yourselves, because – if you don’t – maybe you don’t belong on this team.”
The Villa Novans actually jumped out to the early cushion when junior co-captain Lena Rodriguez ripped an approximate 10yard try past Tech senior keeper Alaynah Rubio just 2:48 into the final session, though Martinez answered 37 ticks later.
She gained possession just past the midfield stripe, raced past a couple of defenders and planted the unassisted shot from the left by WHS junior Natasha Rodriguez to knot it.
She also didn’t take long to notch her second and give the Pats the lead for good at 2-1. Exactly 7:43 after her first, Martinez took the ball deep down the left sideline (thanks to a stellar feed from Paola Hernandez), retreated with her dribble, flew around a defender and smoked it off of the goalie’s hands.
Just 2:25 later, she earned her hat trick when she drilled another attempt off the left post and in.
Sophomore Victoria Delacruz assisted on that one
Woonsocket junior Miya Prince chiseled the gap to 3-2 on a pretty feed from Lena Rodriguez with 12:32 remaining in regulation, but – who else? – “Ivie” and Paola Hernandez hooked up again with the insurance tally 1:18 after that.
Natasha Rodriguez closed with 10 saves, while Rubio closed with 16.
“I still think we’re working out the bugs,” offered Brassard afterward. “It’s only our second game, and we’ve got so many new players. I mean, more than half are brand new not just to us, but the sport,
“Throughout this game, I saw pockets of “Oh, my God. What are you doing?’ But I also saw segments of, ‘OK, way to play.’ Overall, the passes were pretty decent, considering we’ve struggled with them in the past. Our communication also was impressive.”
Woonsocket 0 – 2 – 2
Davies Tech 0 – 4 – 4
First half: No scoring.
Second half: W – Lena Rodriguez (una.) 42:48; DT – Ivelisse Martinez (una.) 43:25; DT – Martinez (Paola Hernandez) 51:08; DT – Martinez (Victoria Delacruz) 53:33; W – Miya Prince (Rodriguez) 67:28; DT – Martinez (Hernandez) 68:46.
Shots on goal: Woonsocket 18, Davies Tech 14. Goalie saves: Natasha Rodriguez ( W) 10, Alaynah Rubio ( DT) 16.
SALOME LEADS LIONS TO WIN
LINCOLN — Lincoln pint-sized sophomore winger Tayla Salome produced two goals and an assist, while junior Riley Specht and midfielder Jenna Iaciofano each produced a goal in the Lions’ 4-1 Division I victory over Prout Tuesday at Ferguson Field.
Lincoln (1-1-1 Division I) has played better defense after last week’s blowout defeat to North Kingstown. The Lions didn’t allow a goal in Friday’s tie against Portsmouth and Tuesday goalie Ava Bauzyk made eight saves in the victory.
The Lions, who also received assists from Sadie Oliver and Lucy Kratman, are back in action Friday afternoon at Bay View.