Photo: Belmont High Girls Soccer first-year goalie Ruth Christensen came off the bench to secure a 2-1 victory over Andover

On Saturday afternoon, Oct. 18, Belmont High Girls Soccer first-year goalie Ruth Christensen got one of those opportunities young players wish for – a chance. After Belmont’s starting senior ‘tender received a knock 10 minutes into the game against non-league Andover, Head Coach Jemmy Cange didn’t hesitate putting Christensen into the game to preserve the team’s early 1-0 lead, thanks to Belmont’s scoring sensation and Middlesex League MVP-candidate senior co-captain Danica Zicha.

“It’s like I said at the beginning of the season, we’re going to have a smaller team than most so everyone is waiting to step in when they get the call,” said Cange.

And on the first play after the restart, Christensen was digging the ball from the back of the net, as Andover’s outstanding forward Ava DeLuca scored off a corner to tie the game 1-1. But Christensen was already thinking about the next opportunity to show Cange she was prepared for the challenge awaiting her.

“It was my first play, but I knew I had to be ready for the next one and the ones after that,” said Christensen.

Minutes after giving up the equalizer, Christensen’s fellow 9th grader, midfielder Mackenzie Teirney, directed a centering pass into the net for what would be the game-winning goal in Belmont’s 2-1 home win against the Golden Warriors (4-4-5).

After the goal, Christensen settled into her role, making a pair of goal-saving full stretch saves, while directing the defense as Belmont (12-2-1) played down a player after a Marauder was issued a rarely shown red card in the later stages of the game.

“I just take small things, like, my first save after the goal. I missed that first one but then you have to think, ‘Yeah, but I made that save on the next one.’ I just focused on the little positive things, and that helps you build your confidence,” said Christensen.

“When we have a little injury there and injury there, everybody step up, and that’s a good thing to see. [Christensen’s] a freshman and she came in in a big game and make a lot of great saves at the end and gave us the victory,” said Cange.

A game against a tough opponent from a different league is typical in the upcoming post season tournament, said Cange.

They’re a physical team. I told the [the players], these are the teams that is going to be in the playoff, that’s going to be ready to play. They’re going to fight,” he said.

A key for post-season success will come from the center of the field and a big part of that will be veteran senior center midfielder Madison Dubois.

“She’s the engine of the team. We rely on her to take possession of the ball. She knows her job on the team and how to get our team going. [Dubois] has been doing this all year. I’m so proud of her,” said Cange.

The Marauders chalked up its 12th win of the season finding themselves 7th in the MIAA Division 1 Power Rankings and 16th in the latest Boston Globe Top 20 poll.

On a seven game unbeaten streak (6-0-1), Belmont enters the final week of the regular season about to face a “Murderers’ Row” of Middlesex League opponents: Monday, Oct. 20 at home against Arlington (8-2-4) which defeated the Marauders, 4-1, in what Cange called “our most disappointing game.” Wednesday, Oct. 22 the team travels to League leaders Lexington (11-3-1) before finishing Monday, Oct. 27, at home against traditional rivals Winchester (11-2-1) which they beat 3-1 earlier in the season.

“Arlington beat us the first time, and now they come into our home. It’s gonna be a good, physical game. It’s always good to play against good competition in Arlington, but we’ll be ready on Monday,” he said.