BURLINGTON – Neither crew might discover an edge via regulation in Tuesday night time’s Div. 3 subject hockey state semifinal, and the suspense of impending extra time towards Dover-Sherborn introduced Newburyport senior Delaney Woekel to tears.
But even overwhelmed, that wouldn’t cease her from sending the Clippers to their first state closing about 20 minutes later.
Woekel scored her second purpose of the sport with 7:52 left in double extra time, clinching a 2-1 win for second-seeded Newburyport (21-1) over the No. 3 Raiders (17-3-2). The purpose ended a defensive marathon that neither group allowed a lot inside, rewarding the Clippers protection for staving off a five-shot fury from Dover-Sherborn within the first extra time.
Sophomores Riley Lombard (protection) and Cody Saboliauskas (10 saves) had been particularly clutch main as much as Woekel’s purpose.
Newburyport will play the winner of Wednesday’s Watertown/Sandwich matchup within the Div. 3 state closing this weekend at WPI.
“We knew that that was what the game was going to be like,” stated Clippers second-year head coach Shannon Haley. “Our kids battled, gave it everything they got, and this is the first time that Newburyport field hockey has ever been to a state championship. So we couldn’t be more proud of them.”
“It feels amazing, it’s honestly unreal,” Woekel added. “I am so excited and ready.”
It appeared each essential one-on-one battle all recreation was received by the final defender on both crew, and each items excelled in chopping off lanes in open house.
The solely actual blemish in Newburyport’s protection got here on a third-quarter nook, when Lily Hatfield tipped in a drive for a 1-0 Dover-Sherborn lead. Woekel made positive it wouldn’t matter along with her first purpose lower than two minutes later, although, and the defenses went proper again to stopping any main offensive threats till extra time.
Lombard and Katie Conway had been essential on that finish for Newburyport, whereas the Raiders’ nook protection blanked the Clippers on seven possibilities as Drew Hussar and Alia El-Hilali shined. Goalie Kylie Craig (seven saves) was additionally nails for Dover-Sherborn when a lot of the few dicey conditions got here up.
None of them got here within the first extra time with how the Raiders carried play. But after making a number of changes, it did within the second extra time. Woekel deflected a go simply to the correct of Craig as she dropped to her knees effectively out of the purpose, and Woekel completed off the game-winner on the wide-open purpose behind Craig.
“I literally was just like, ‘I need to get the ball in the back of the net,’ and that’s all I really thought about,” Woekel stated. “Our team works so well together, genuinely every single girl that was on the field. It wasn’t just this goal, it started from the defense from Riley Lombard, up to Ciara (Geraghty) in the midfield, to Rita (Cahalane). Mine was just a part of it, but we all worked together to get that (game-winner).”
She wouldn’t have had the possibility if not for an exceptional effort from the protection within the first extra time, as Dover-Sherborn banged on the door with an onslaught of strain. But Saboliauskas stood agency on rebound makes an attempt within the five-save body, and Lombard was relentless in serving to clear the remaining.
“Dover-Sherborn is an incredible field hockey team, and they played amazing in that overtime,” Haley stated. “Credit to our goalie and our defense, they played unbelievable. Riley Lombard saved us in that overtime, and we knew we had attacking speed. We utilized it to score that (final) goal.”
Other motion
Danielle Bowers and Autumn Mathews every scored twice as No. 1 Reading (21-1) coasted to a 5-0 win over fourth-seeded Hingham in a Div. 2 state semifinal. … Emily Spadorcia and Morgan Naumann scored with Shea Larkee aiding on each as No. 2 Norwood (20-2) edged No. 3 Somerset Berkley, 2-1.
Source: www.bostonherald.com
