MANSFIELD, Mass. – Even with one of the teams changing divisions and the tournament format changing to statewide, there was still an all-Hockomock League matchup in the first round of this year’s state tournament. On Thursday night at Alumni Field, Mansfield hosted Canton in battle of familiar foes.
Mansfield’s center back duo of sophomore Kara Santos and freshman Gabby Smith may never have played in the postseason before, but they looked like seasoned veterans on Thursday, providing a wall in the defensive third and scoring punch on the other end of the field. Smith scored once and assisted on the other and Santos got the game-winner, as the Hornets won 3-0 to advance to next week’s Round of 16.
“They really work well together,” Mansfield coach Kevin Smith said of his central defensive pairing. “They have a great friendship, they have an understanding (on the field), they seem to want to just find each other on set pieces. They’re great together.”
The Hornets dominated the ball in the opening half, testing Canton on both flanks and through the middle, but the Bulldogs showed some defensive resiliency. Ava Gilmore and Han Hong provided cover for the back four and centerbacks Allie McCabe and Sarah Dempster largely kept the hosts at bay.
Canton’s issue was getting the ball into the attacking third, where Emily McCabe was being shackled by Smith and Santos and struggling to combine with Fay Gallery.
“Their defense stays compact all the time,” said Canton coach Idris Senyonjo. “They let you play the ball in front of them not behind them, which works.”
Mansfield had the game’s first good chance when Katie Miller got the ball out to Tarynn Smith in the left channel and her cross just missed Olivia Homsi making a late run into the back post. Less than 10 minutes later, Smith tested the range on a 25-yard free kick that looked as though it had gone in, but had actually skimmed over the bar.
It took nearly half and hour for either keeper to be tested. From a throw-in, Miller had a chance on the right side of the box, but her looping shot was comfortably held by Canton keeper Elyse Broderick. It would be the only shot on target by either team in the first half.
The Hornets had a couple of looks from corners late in the half. Tarynn Smith played the first one to the edge of the six-yard box but Carly Devine was unable to keep her header down. The second corner from Smith was an attempt directly on goal, but it slid just wide of the far post.
Three minutes after halftime, the Hornets got the breakthrough. After a rare Canton foray into the Mansfield box, the hosts broke quickly and were able to win a corner when Miller’s shot from distance had Broderick scrambling down to her left to save. Gabby Smith curled an in-swinger with her left foot to the back post and Santos rose above her marker to power a header into the back of the net.
“It was great,” Smith said about the opening goal. “I thought we were on top most of the first half but Canton is a good team. They were organized, tough to break down that first half and that first goal just kind of loosened up the bonds for us and then we were able to find some more.”
In the 49th minute, the Hornets nearly doubled the lead. A cross from left back Anna Darlington picked out Abby Jean in the middle of the box. She beat her defender to the ball and the header beat the keeper only to come back off the post.
Two minutes later, Smith provided Mansfield with a welcome cushion. The freshman lined up a 35-yard free kick and bent a shot up over the outstretched arm of Broderick and under the post for a 2-0 lead.
Canton was pushing for a goal to get back into the game and was having a little more success getting into the final third, although the final ball was lacking. Freshman Emma Cahill was making good ground on the right wing and sophomore Devan Spinale was battling in the midfield but to no avail.
Just after the half-hour mark, Mansfield booked its place into the Sweet Sixteen. Tarynn Smith pounced on a mishit clearance, took a touch onto her right foot, and fired a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box to make it 3-0.
The Bulldogs would manage to test Mansfield keeper Olivia Salisbury only once in the game, when McCabe lined up a shot in the closing minutes. In addition to the play of the back four, Bridget Hanley continued to play an important role for the Hornets’ midfield, breaking up attack after attack with strong tackles and clever interceptions.
“She’s done a great job just flying under the radar,” said Smith about Hanley. “People don’t know who she is and what she does and she just brings it every day.”
Canton (6-7-5) battled injuries throughout the season and had many players getting their first taste of tournament play.
“I think we beat a few odds to even make the playoffs, considering the injuries,” Senyonjo explained. “We’ve not been consistent enough to know what kind of game we’re going to have on any given day. I think having made the playoffs this year will drive the team to want to do better next year.”
Mansfield (12-4-1), the No. 11 seed, awaits the winner of No. 6 Medfield and No. 27 West Springfield. If the Warriors win, then Mansfield will be on the road, but if the Terriers win then the game will be back at Alumni Field.
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