MELROSE — Two quick strikes late in the second half turned what looked to be a disappointing defeat into a 2-2 tie for the Peabody girls soccer team in a non-conference contest against Melrose on Saturday.

The Red Hawks owned the first half at Fred Green Memorial Field, controlling the pace, play, and possession for the most part to grab a 2-0 lead.

But Peabody regrouped in the second half and flipped the script, thanks to junior striker Gabriella Gosselin and sophomore defender Grace Sylvester — goal-scorers who leveled the score within a two-minute span to complete the comeback.

“We started off a little tired to say the least, but at halftime, we just talked about Peabody soccer and how we need to play and pressure the back line,” said first-year Tanners’ coach Katrina Silva. “Melrose was moving the ball well and we were chasing. Our attackers responded well to that and we were hungrier for the ball. And we had plenty of opportunities in the final third when we started to work more for the ball.”

“I’m thinking about what we didn’t do in that half,” said Melrose coach Olivia Downey. “We didn’t take the things we did in the first half over to the second half. We didn’t communicate the way we were supposed to. I guess they figured some things out, but we fell short in a couple of ways.”

Melrose senior captain Claire MacDonald staked the Red Hawks to a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute after a corner kick. Senior captain Lauren Healy doubled the lead about three minutes later off a pass from senior captain Evelyn Dupnik.

Peabody came out of halftime energized and had the Red Hawks on their heels with constant pressure. The Tanners’ efforts paid off at the 18:35 mark when Gosselin took a cross from Sylvester and buried one.

“That was a great cross and finish,” Silva said.

Junior goalkeeper Olivia Ball (8 saves), who was under tremendous pressure for most of the first half, came up with a huge save on a corner kick on the Red Hawks’ ensuing possession.

“She was tested, especially in the first half,” Silva said. “She really holds it back for us. We are super lucky to have Liv on our back line. That late save was critical.”

After a successful clear by Ball, Sylvester countered with the equalizer about two minutes later.

“The ball came out to her and she put it in over the top,” Silva said. “She is known for doing that and had done so against Saugus. So, that was great.”

The action was back and forth the rest of the way with both teams seeing quality chances denied. The Red Hawks ramped up the pressure in the waning minutes only to come up empty.

Silva credited senior captain and defender Marley Loring for coming up with some big plays.

“Marley really stepped up in the last five minutes and made some great plays for us,” Silva said. “She was kind of like the sweeper position, coming out and going one on one and clearing it out — and for being aware of where the game was in the last five minutes. What we were trying to do was just send it forward.”

Silva also credited the play of sophomore midfielder Brielle Broughton, freshman midfielder/striker Isabella Silva, junior striker Sophia Galbiati, as well as senior captain and midfielder Emma Wardle.

“Brielle plays a little bit of striker and wing. She does great and is always looking to take players on, which we need up there,” Silva said. “Bella (Silva) is the type of player that you can put anywhere. She is just a workhorse and we are lucky to have her. She is just hungry for that goal. Emma does a great job in the middle and Sophia is a feisty player, always breaking up attacks.”

Melrose’s (1-1-1) next game is Wednesday against Middlesex League foe Winchester. Peabody (1-3-2) is back in action Wednesday at home against Swampscott.

“I know it’s going to be a tough game. Our biggest thing is we are looking to create chances early in the game to set the tone,” Katrina Silva said. “Sometimes, when we get scored on, we put our heads down. At halftime, we had to talk about it — just moving on — so today was a big morale boost.”

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