EAST PROVIDENCE — Jordyn Brogan’s brace and some timely stout defending by the back four lifted the East Providence High School girls’ soccer team past visiting Scituate, 2-1, Saturday afternoon, Nov. 6, in a Division II quarterfinal round playoff game at the new Townie Athletic Complex.

Brogan, the junior and team-leading goal scorer, potted her first of two goals six minutes into the contest, heading in a cross from Olivia Williams. Brogan out-positioned and out-fought a Spartan defender and Scituate keeper Amy Gladziszewski just inside the six-yard goal area, each falling to the ground and watching the ball tumble over the line.

Her second, which proved the deciding tally, came on a penalty kick in the 61st minute. The sequence began when defender McKayla Lopes was fouled. Her backline mate and sister Briana Lopes took the ensuing free kick, driving the ball deep into Scituate territory down the left flank. Brogan settled, then dribbled inside the 18-yard box before being tripped by a Spartan defender. She calmly finished off the PK, a low, hard blast inside the left post as Gladziszewski dived in the opposite direction.

In between, the fifth-seeded Spartans tied the score in the 11th minute of the opening 40. Indya Santos took a throughball in the center of the pitch, broke behind the E.P. defense with a couple of touches alone on Townie keeper Kaylee Davenport, then easily pooched a shot into the right side of the net.

Brogan actually had a similar opportunity to put the fourth-seeded Townies back on top early in the second half. She beat a Scituate defender to a 50-50 clearing ball, settled and dribbled around an on-rushing Gladziszewski. However, her chip towards the wide open net scraped the outside of the right post.

Much of the time between the goals was spent with both teams maintaining possession between the 18s, but with no clear scoring chances. Most of the shots came from distance and not on frame.

Desperate to find the tying goal, the Spartans pressed late, creating a couple of worrying moments for the Townies. Both times, though, the E.P. defense cleared the ball out of trouble.

The Townie back four of the Lopes sisters, Grace Gagne and Hailey Manteiga were terrific for the majority of the 80 minutes. They were supported well by the midfield of Lily Budnick, Cassidy Martins, Tessa Laroche and Olivia Williams and late-game sub Katherine Almeida.

The last kick of the game by Scituate just over midfield was easily taken by Davenport, accounting for the final of her 12 saves.

East Providence improved to 12-3-2 overall in league games with the win. Scituate saw its 2021 season end with a 10-5-3 record in D-II outings.

The Townies advance to the semifinals next week against either top-seeded Chariho or ninth-seeded North Smithfield. Those two teams were slated to meet later Saturday evening in another of the quarterfinal round games.