East Providence girls' soccer starts 2016 season in new surroundings

Pizzi returns as head coach; Townies drop to D-III

By Mike Rego
Posted 9/6/16

EAST PROVIDENCE — Head coach Angelo Pizzi returns to the East Providence High School girls' soccer sideline this fall after a year's break assisting the Townies' football team with a guarded sense …

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East Providence girls' soccer starts 2016 season in new surroundings

Pizzi returns as head coach; Townies drop to D-III

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — Head coach Angelo Pizzi returns to the East Providence High School girls' soccer sideline this fall after a year's break assisting the Townies' football team with a guarded sense of optimism about the squad.

A mixed group of newcomers and upperclassmen showed signs of improvement late last season under then head coach Ian Mutti while it posted a 5-11-1 record in Division II and qualified as the 10th seed for the playoffs where the Townies fell to seventh seeded Chariho, 6-0.

However, that mark and the postseason appearance couldn't mask the struggles of the program, which won just eight of 63 contests combined in the state's middle tier the previous four seasons combined.

With that in mind, under realignment done last term the Interscholastic League dropped the Townies down to Division III in time for the 2016-17 campaign. East Providence is now grouped with Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy, Central Falls, Central, Davies Career and Technical Center, Hope, Johnston, Mt. Pleasant, Narragansett, Shea, Tolman and Woonsocket.

"The big news with us is that we dropped down to D-3 this year, and so we're trying to field as competitive a team as possible," Pizzi explained. "We have a nice a group of seniors, five seniors to anchor what we hope to be a successful season. We'll see how it goes."

All five of those aforementioned seniors are likely to open the year in the starting lineup. Rachel Oliveira is the Townies' keeper. Arianna Calouro and Amber Drainville are defensive backs along with junior Lindsey Amaral and freshman Alyssa DeOliveira. Julia Andrade mans the midfield along with junior Haley Placido and sophomores Jamie Sousa and Lilly Palumbo. Sydney Vilardi is joined by junior Grace Abrams at the forward positions.

"We're playing a flat 4-4-2 to start and we're also evolving into a 4-5-1," Pizzi said of East Providence's formation.

Among a host of others on the roster who could see time throughout the season, a trio of freshmen midfielders/forwards — Pattie Aaliyah, Ashley Cassino-Henriquez and Savannah Feola — have also impressed the coaching staff, which also includes assistant Stacie Delos.

"It has been a long time since we've been truly competitive," Pizzi continued. "My long answer to what we're trying to do is that we want to develop a program, not just a team. And in order to develop a program we kept a whole lot of girls this year. Our roster consists of 32, 34 girls. So our goal starting this year is not to build a team, but to build a program. And that's going to take an evolution. And that evolution begins this year in D-3. We'd like to make our move back up within a reasonable amount of time, but we also want to handle our business in this division."

Taking care of business, in this case, means aiming for another postseason berth, which shouldn't be a problem for an East Providence team that boasts both skill and experience at the varsity level.

"What will make me happy is that we are, one, competitive. We give it our all, 100 percent every single game," Pizzi added. "But more importantly, this team is destined for the playoffs. So our goal is to make the playoffs. Once we get into playoffs, everybody starts 0-0 again. It's an old, trite thing, but that's our goal to make the playoffs."

East Providence begins its playoff quest on the road Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 7, in Woonsocket. The locals remain away Tuesday, Sept. 13, against Narragansett. The Townies play their first regular season home game on their new artificial turf field the next night, Wednesday, Sept. 14, against Shea at 7 o'clock.

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MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.