After beating rival Pembroke Academy on Thursday to qualify for the first girls’ soccer final in school history, Merrimack Valley High School announced it had a positive COVID test in the school on Friday and that the girls’ soccer team would not be participating in Sunday’s Division II final.
Milford, MV’s scheduled opponent, has been named champion.
Not only was it going to be the Pride’s first appearance in a title game, the match was scheduled to be played on MV’s home field in Penacook. Normally, championship games are held at neutral sites, but this year those games have been moved due to coronavirus safety guidelines and Merrimack Valley won the random draw to host.
Before this season, MV had not won a playoff game in more than 10 years. But this year the team reeled off three tournament wins – 7-1 against Plymouth, 3-1 against Kennett and 2-1 against Pembroke – and reached the semifinals for just the second time in school history and for the first time in more than 30 years.
MV senior Kaylee Magoon scored both goals in the win against Pembroke and had five goals total in those three playoff games.
After Thursday’s win, Pride coach Nick D’Agostino made a few comments that now, unfortunately, take on extra significance.
“We never talked about making it to the finals, we were just happy to play for as long as we could this season. There were teams dropping out and we knew that could be us, so it was just, don’t take anything for granted,” D’Agostino said. “So every time we got an opportunity to play, we just went and played. As a coaching staff, we’re really proud of them. They worked really hard this year, they’re a good group, they’re really happy to be here and we’re really happy for them.”