Copyright The Boston Globe
BRAINTREE — Frankie Mazzini and Meredith Jones drive back and forth to school together, so it’s no coincidence they can find each other on the field like it’s second nature. Mazzini, a senior captain, scored three times in the second half and Jones assisted her thrice before potting a goal of her own as fifth-seeded Braintree rolled past No. 12 Lexington, 6-0, in the Division 1 second round. The Wamps (10-4-6) await the winner of No. 4 Natick and No. 20 Westford, who play Saturday. After a back-and-forth first half, the Wamps came out determined to win. They hemmed their opponents into their half, causing turnovers with an unrelenting press, aided by winning 50/50 balls, leading to five second-half goals. Miscommunication led to an errant Lexington pass that Jones sprung onto and the junior put a beautifully weighted cross to the top of the box. Mazzini, in stride, belted a left-footed strike into the top-corner, leaving the keeper with no chance. “We obviously know each other well,” said Jones. “I feel like Frankie’s always in the middle of the middle, no matter who’s playing it to her. Our connection after that first goal, it just kept going.” Advertisement Mazzini’s first goal set off a chain reaction, with three goals in four minutes to flip the game on its head. Junior Mia Francis volleyed home a leftfooted ball inside the post to make it 3-0 before Jones found Mazzini running free in the middle of the field again. Mazzini made no mistake with the finish. “Especially in the tournament, we’re connecting a lot better,” said Mazzini. “Everyone’s adding their part into the game. We’re doing really well working together.” Mazzini punched a loose ball from a corner kick inside the left post before Jones struck a minute later, lofting a gorgeously struck ball over the keeper’s head. After senior Mya Ranieri scored three goals in their first round win, Mazzini stepped up this time. “Where we don’t have that one scorer, everyone is ready and everyone’s been working on it,” said Braintree coach Ryan Puntiri. “We don’t depend on one person.” Advertisement The Wamps put Lexington (13-6-1) in an early deficit. Senior captain Caitlin Nugent hammered home a long throw-in from Ranieri just 3:31 into the game. “That is just kind of our culture as a team,” said Puntiri. “This group of girls, the Nugents, Ranieri, Mazzini, they’ve really changed the culture and it shows on the field, playing for each other, in the good moments and the bad moments. Being able to connect like that is a result of how close they are.” Division 5 State Nashoba Valley Tech 1, Hopkins 0 — Amya Skipper netted the winner to power the 11th-seeded Vikings (11-3-3) to a second-round win over No. 6 Hopkins Academy (14-5-2). Cam Kerry can be reached at cam.kerry@globe.com.
