QUINCY — As Maddie McDonald strolled out of the hallowed hallways of Veterans Stadium on Wednesday, she knew she and her teammates had been going to should play one in every of their finest video games of the season. The Clippers had no scarcity of motivation, standing throughout the sector was the workforce that knocked them out of the postseason in 2022.
Despite all the encompassing narratives, they had been in a position to ship an announcement to the Commonwealth. McDonald completed with a hat trick, together with the game-clinching aim late in regulation, as No. 6 Norwell saved its miraculous run going by knocking off reigning Div. 3 ladies lacrosse champion Medfield with an exciting 10-9 victory over the second seed.
“From the beginning of the season, this is what we’ve been working for,” mentioned McDonald. “To see it actually come true and happen, we put so much work into it, it just feels amazing. Everyone is so happy, and I just love this team. It means the world.”
This will mark the primary journey to a state championship for Norwell (19-4) since 2018, when it captured the Div. 2 title (a 12-10 win over Bromfield). The Clippers additionally defeated a Medfield workforce that ousted them final season within the Round of 8 precisely one calendar 12 months prior (a 12-5 loss final June 14).
Norwell would bounce out to a surprising 3-0 lead simply 1:54 into motion. Holly Panttila sniped a pair of targets, whereas McDonald added one herself to get issues began.
The Clippers additionally made a concerted effort to neutralize Medfield (20-4) standout Kelly Blake within the early levels. Easier mentioned than carried out, nonetheless. The junior captain buried three unanswered targets, because the Warriors evened the rating at 3-all with 16:45 to play within the first half.
The see-saw battle would proceed proper up till intermission. Shortly after Reese Stoddard netted her second aim to supply Norwell a 6-4 lead, Medfield staged a last-minute offensive rush, searching for a strike. The Warriors had been truly in a position to get a point-blank shot on web with about three seconds left within the body, solely to observe sophomore goaltender Charlotte Pithie stonewall the try and protect the lead.
“It was not going to go in on my watch,” Pithie mentioned. “I knew I had to save that. Everybody’s cheering really got me excited, and I just knew I had to (make the save).”
Norwell began the second half similarly with a 3-1 scoring run. Panttila added an insurance coverage tally, making it a 9-5 sport with 17:56 left in regulation.
Then, the Warriors rallied as soon as once more. Blake sniped her fourth aim with 13:32 left, chopping it to a 9-8 contest.
Yet, when the Clippers had been reeling, McDonald delivered. With 6:44 remaining, the senior drew a free place shot, then buried it to place her workforce forward 10-8. While Medfield lower it to a one-goal sport with 50 seconds left off a shot by Maeve Kelly, the hill was too steep for the Warriors to scale. Charlise Cox received a late draw to seal the win for Norwell.
Panttila additionally added a hat trick for Norwell.
“It’s very difficult to make it this far,” mentioned Norwell coach Kara Connerty. “The competition is improving with each year. I just think it’s harder to get back to a state semifinal, or a final. I think these girls are really just so determined to get there, and to be standing on June 17.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com