Photo: Belmont High’s senior forward Danica Zicha celebrates her first of two goals vs. Central Catholic in the Marauder’s 2-0 Sweet 16 victory in the MIAA Div. 1 tournament.

Belmont High’s senior forward Danica Zicha had dreamed of a night like she had against Central Catholic High in the Sweet 16 round of the MIAA Div. 1 Girls’ state tournament: Scoring the winning goal to win the biggest playoff game in her high school career.

For a good part of two years, it appeared pocketing a playoff goal would have only been a dream after Zicha missed her sophomore and most of her junior seasons after suffering a devastating Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury in 2023.

“Everything went great with my knee rehabilitation, but in the back of my head I kept thinking, ‘Can I come back like I was? Will my knee give out again?” she said at the end of the contest.

Zicha not only saw her dream come true, the speedy forward pocketed both goals in the 8th-ranked Marauders 2-0 victory over the nine-seed Raiders, played in a steady rain which at times fell with a monsoon’s intensity on Monday, Oct. 10, at Harris Field.

“I think this team is absolutely amazing,” said Belmont Head Coach Jemme Cange. “We worked so hard this season. We have the biggest heart when we play. We just put everything into our effort, and it’s been working.”

Zicha’s senior season has been exceptional, as she has compiled a gaudy 35 goals after Monday’s game. But the post season has a whole new importance for the Connecticut College-commit.

“In tournament games, I’m just thinking, ‘This could be my last game. I’m a senior. It’s the tournament. It’s one and done. So it’s like, I’m gonna put it all out there,” said Zicha. “I just have to stay confident and try to win for the seniors.”

Cange had high praise for his all-star.

“We know what type of player Danica is. She can change a game by herself, and that’s what she did today. She’s the team. At the end of the day, everything goes through her, and she just keeps fighting from the first minute to the last.”

The victory advances Belmont (16-2-2) to the Elite Eight where it will meet the number-one ranked Needham (17-2-1) at Needham High School on Thursday, Oct. 13, with kickoff at 5 p.m. The Rockets are on a 13 game winning streak and are 11-0-1 at home this season, while the Marauders play well away from Harris Field with eight wins against a single loss.

Unlike the slow motion start in its opening round match against Framingham, it took Belmont 99 seconds to take the lead when Zicha seized advantage of confusion between goalie and defender on whom would control a high ball by Belmont’s junior defender Elisabeth Schreiner. Zicha jumped at the chance and slotted it into the back of the net by the diving goalie.

“The girl was hesitating. I was like, ‘No, that’s mine. I’m going for it’,” she said.

Zicha’s second came a few minutes after co-captain and starting goalkeeper Martha Dimas came out of the game in the second half, to be replaced by first-year reserve Ruth Christensen. Central Catholic’s attempt to take advantage of the change left added space in the midfield. A measured pass from first year winger Mackenzie Tierney found the loosely marked Zicha in stride who beat the goalie along the pitch just inside the right post with 18 minutes remaining in the game.

“In tournament games, we’re playing amazing teams, and they can just score pretty easily. And I was like, ‘We need another goal to make sure they’re not tying the score, because I’m not taking this game to [penalty kicks, which determines a winner if the game remain tied after two overtime periods]. I don’t want to take them,” said Zicha.

But to say the victory was Zicha’s alone would downplay the exceptional performance from the entire team as the defense stiffled both of Central Catholic Division 1-commits while playing a tight, ball control style that prevented the Raiders from taking over the game’s momentum by stepping to the ball and then clearing it out and regaining possession.

And when Central Catholic utilized its effective multiple pass offense to send the attack into Belmont’s goal area, Dimas and the back line proved time and time again able to make the final stop.

“Just the way we connect with everyone in the field, they couldn’t stop our offense line at all,” said Zicha. “They were good defenders, but we just tore them down.”

“We’ve been so close as a team, especially our back line,” said Belmont senior defender Ashley Waters. “I’ve really gotten to connect with all three players – Schreiner, senior Farah Harris and sophomore Vianne Capitani – that I play with, and I think that really helps. We can kind of read each other’s minds, in a way, and we know when to drop, when to fill in, how to cover and really work.”

“I’m so proud of the defense, because they come in and love defending, and they don’t get the credit that they deserve sometimes, because the offense always get the credit,” said Cange. “They fight from the first minute to the last minute, and all credit goes to the back four,” said Cange.

Belmont will face its greatest test on Thursday facing the top of the class on the road.

“Needham is a great team, but we’re not worry about them. We have a game plan and we always stick to it, and that’s why where we are right now,” said Cange. “We’re not taking taking it easy before the game. They’re number one in the state for a reason. I know some of the players as I coached some of them. It’s gonna be a good fight. I’m excited for the matchup.”