Field Hockey
North Attleboro, 7 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final
Canton, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin scored a pair of goals inside the first five minutes of the second half, breaking open a tie game to earn the win. Freshman Amanda Lewandowski scored her first career goal, which turned out to be the game-winner, just minutes after senior Maddy Hinckley put the Panthers up 2-1 early in the second half. Junior Annie Walsh scored Franklin’s first goal on an assist from Regan Paterson. FHS head coach Lisa Cropper said junior Anna Jardine (12 saves) was stellar in net and also praised the play of sophomore Courtney Davenport, who made her varsity debut.
Foxboro, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final
Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final
Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield, 7 – Final – Abby Varricchione and Hayleigh Crawford each scored a pair of goals to lead the Hornets to a home win over visiting Sharon. Ann Maher, Kristina O’Connell and Heather D’Ambra also scored once for Mansfield while Alicia Hottleman and Maggie Danehy notched assists in the win.
King Philip, 172 @ Sharon, 173 – Final – King Philip’s Nate Ihley carded a team-low round of 41 to help the Warriors edge Sharon at The Cape Club. Sharon’s Russell Rapaport earned match medalist honors with a low round of 39.
Attleboro, 161 @ Canton, 141 – Final – Canton’s Jack Goyetch, Joey Vaughan and Niko Donovan all had their best performances of their careers on Thursday afternoon, leading the Bulldogs to a big win over Attleboro. Goyetch shot a two-under-par round of 32, Vaughan carded a one-under-par round of 33 and Donovan shot a career-best 38. Chris Lavoie and Thomas Singleton also carded rounds of 38 for the Bulldogs. Attleboro’s Ethan Johnson and Taran Mills each shot 39 for the Bombardiers.
Taunton, 189 vs. New Bedford, 226 – Final – Taunton’s Cam Williams shot a team-low round of 42 to lead the Tigers past New Bedford. Kyle Robinson chipped in with a round of 46 for the Tigers.
Foxboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro had a penalty kick denied in the first half but found the winner in the second half. In the 57th minute, junior Joe Hilf finished off a through ball from sophomore Joey Coscarella for the lone tally of the match.
Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Zac White opened the scoring in the first half for the Warriors and Tyler Mann sealed the victory with a second half goal. Click here for a photo gallery from this game.
Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Milford scored the go-ahead goal midway through the second half but Sharon found the equalizer with just three minutes to play to earn a point on the road. Wallison de Oliveira put the Hawks up in the 60th minute but Michael Bauer cleaned up a loose ball in the area to knot the game. Sharon nearly had the winner in the final minute, but Milford keeper Luke Capobianco made a key say. MHS head coach Brian Edwards added Tiago Carvalho played a great game in the midfield for the Hawks.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Samantha Tichelaar extended her goal-scoring streak to four games, while Megan Flanagan and Alex Wapenski each added goals to make it back-to-back wins for the Tigers. Khy Camaro, Emma Silvia, and Kasey Colvin each had assists in the win and Grace Pimenta made five saves.
Stoughton, 2 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Freshman Olivia Rodman scored a hat trick and recorded an assist for the Bulldogs to keep Canton in a tie for second place in the Davenport. Fellow freshman Elisa Diletzia added a brace for Canton. Sarah Collins and Morgan McCabe also scored in the win. Chinazo Odunze scored the first for the Black Knights off a Mackenzie Manning assist and Manning scored the second from the penalty spot.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Ashlyn Gaulin had a hat trick for the Davenport leaders and Haley Ferrin added the fourth. Haley Guertin had a pair of assists, while Rachel Labonte and Kayla Pasquel each added one. According to North coach Bill Wallace, Emma Noreck led a “strong defensive effort” and he noted the solid play of Emily Chiasson, Lauren Dow, Sam Hawkins and Julia Tolfa. Lizzy Davis had the lone goal for the Warriors and Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said that Alex Stamatos had a “great game” in the Foxboro defense.
King Philip, 4 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – King Philip scored four times in the opening 20 minutes of the game and held on after Franklin scored two to halve the deficit before the break. Avery Snead scored twice and assisted on another, while Chloe Layne added a goal and an assist. Emma Corcoran had an assist and Ally Stanton added the fourth goal for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Emily Vigeant scored a penalty kick that turned out to be the game-winner for the Hornets. Stephanie Kemp had the other goal for Mansfield.
Milford, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Juliana France scored a pair of goals and Ashleigh Starks had one for the Hawks to end the team’s three-game winless streak and move Milford within a point of second place in the Davenport. Sharon coach Brad Furnival said that his team had its fair share of chances, including a Sabrina Robbins free kick that struck the bar, but that the Eagles “weren’t clinical enough. He added that the second Milford goal was “fantastic,” a 25-yard half-volley into the top corner.
Field Hockey
Taunto, 3 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final
Canton, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Canton’s Maggie Malloy and Kaitlyn Goyetch each found the back of the net as the Bulldogs held off Stoughton in a tight affair. Allie Howe scored Stoughton’s lone goal of the game.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames erased a pair of one-goal deficits in the second half to earn a draw on the road. The Tigers took the lead behind a goal from Hannah Stryke, assisted by Kayla Lozzi, but Mansfield stormed back with goals from Ann Maher (unassisted) and Brooke Downey (from Heather D’Ambra) to take a 2-1 lead at the break. Lozzi tied the game before D’Ambra put the Hornets back up on a feed from Emily Ierardo. Stryke netted her second of the game, on an assist from Maggie Woods, to tie the game. OA goalie Caitlin Grant made 11 saves in net.
Sharon, 0 @ Milford, 9 – Final – Shannon Cormier netted four goals to lead the Scarlet Hawks to a big win over visiting Sharon. Danielle Fokas added three goals and Colby Bowers netted her first career goal in the win.
Volleyball
Taunton, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final
Canton, 0 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton defended home court with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-14 win over visiting Canton. Senior Val Whalen led the Black Knights with 16 kills while senior Vicky Ramos had a strong game on the outside with five kills. Juniors Hanna Holden and Molly Turner combined for over 30 assists. Nicole Brown paced Canton with 20 assists and four kills, Taylor Harris had nine kills and Megan McDonough played great defense with 13 digs and a pair of aces.
Foxboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro got stronger as the match went on, notching a 25-17, 25-12, 25-6 sweep against visiting Foxboro. Tori Melanson had a strong day at both the net (seven kills) and serving (five aces) while Amelia Murphy finished with eight kills. Kezia De La Cruz had her best serving performance of the year, finishing with nine aces to go along with five kills.
Franklin, 1 @ King Philip. 3 – Final – It was a strong team performance for King Philip, picking up a 25-17, 25-17, 20-25, 25-20 win over Franklin. Sydney Phillips led the way offensively with 18 kills, four digs and two blocks while Michaela Palumbo added nine kills and 10 service points and Grace Ely chipped in with six kills and two blocks, Kat Kmetz had a strong day serving with 19 service points while Elise Pereira had four aces and seven digs. Rachael Veilleux had a strong all-around day with 34 assists and 12 service points, including five aces.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Trailing 8-7 in the deciding fifth set, Mansfield’s Katie Dardinski (11 service points) served six straight points to put the Hornets ahead for good. Mansfield won the match 17-25, 25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 15-9. Meg Hill had a strong day at the net with 23 kills while Lexi Gardner added nine kills and 20 service points. Julia Harrison added seven kills and 12 digs for the Hornets. For Oliver Ames, sophomore Ally Kemp had 35 assists to go along with five kills while Katie Flynn (14 kills) and Kayla Raymond (nine kills, six blocks, four aces) paced the Tigers’ offense. Junior Sadie Homer finished with 19 digs and three aces for OA.
Golf
King Philip, 172 @ Mansfield, 163 – Final – Mansfield junior Jake DiSangro and freshman Nathan Morreale each carded rounds of 40 to lead the Hornets to a key division win over King Philip. Freshman Brian See added a 41 while senior Brendan Loomer carded a round of 42 in the win.
Milford, 176 @ Stoughton, 186 – Final – Milford’s Riley Lynch and Stoughton’s Brendan Campbell shared medalist honors, each carding a round of 42. Milford’s Andrew Fauerbach added a 44 in the Hawks’ win.
Franklin, 162 @ Attleboro, 167 – Final – Attleboro’s Corey McKenna and Franklin’s Bryan Woelfel earned co-medalist honors at Highland Country Club, but Matt D’Errico’s round of 40 and Gerard Collins and Jack Paterson both for 42 to help the Panthers earn the win. Jack Handy added a 41 for the Bombardiers.
Sharon, 165 @ Oliver Ames, 137 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Thomas Walsh birdied on five of his last six holes to shoot an incredible four-under-par round of 30 to lead the Tigers to a win. Walsh sank a 20-foot put on the last hole to finish at 30. Walsh’s round, which may be a school record, was complemented by Ryan McGarry’s par round of 34, Mark Bissonette’s round of 36 and Eric LeBlanc’s round of 37.
Today’s games are listed below. We will update this post with any changes we receive.
Boys Soccer
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield senior Cullin Anastasia netted a pair of second half goals as the Hornets secured a shutout win on the road. Jackson Murphy opened the scoring for the visitors, converting a chance from Sean Lanzillo to take a 1-0 lead into the break. Murphy then set up Anastasia for Mansfield’s second goal and John Cooney recorded to assist on the final tally. Nick Ferraz recorded his third shutout in net.
Canton, 0 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Milford junior Anthony Salvador scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the first half, and then drew a penalty late in the second half to help the Hawks record a shutout win over visiting Canton. Wallison De Oliveira converted the penalty kick to seal the win. MHS head coach Brian Edwards praised the defensive efforts of senior Jacob Balzarini.
Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Hussein Kafel, Joe Cusack, and Nick Esposito each scored a brace for the Warriors. Shane Vandenboom had a pair of assists, Cam Cass had a goal and an assist, and Matt Rongione had the other goal for Foxboro. Click here for a photo gallery from this game.
Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – One senior and three juniors each recorded a goal for Franklin in the Panthers’ win at home. Senior Liam Kapples along with juniors Nitin Chaudhury, Nasir Brahimi and Sam Molloy each found the back of the net once for FHS.
King Philip, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames scored a pair of goals in each half in a key division win over visiting King Philip. Senior Michael Nikiciuk opened the scoring while classmate Brandin Osborne made it 2-0 by half. Mason Galbato converted a flick from Nathaniel Cardoza off a long throw in by Chris Lawrence to make it 3-0 and minutes later, senior Matt Alvarado made it 4-0. In the final minute of play, KP junior John Cullen played a through ball to freshman Camron Lawrence who played across to freshman Ajae Olsen for the finish.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – North Attleboro took the lead inside the first 10 minutes and netted the game-winner midway through the second half to pick up a key division win on the road. Sophomore Dylan Corrigan opened the scoring in the sixth minute, converting a long goal kick from Zach Matracia. Gabe Pinhancos doubled the lead in the 63rd minute on a feed from Ryan Pasquel. Sharon sophomore Michael Baur converted a penalty kick in the 76th minute. NA goalie Brendan Matracia made three key saves down the stretch for the Rocketeers.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Stephanie Kemp scored a brace and Cassidy McMahon had a goal and an assist for the Hornets, who stayed perfect on the season. Attleboro battled throughout and cut the Mansfield lead to 2-1 midway through the second half on a goal by Julia Reyes, assisted by Alison Wall. As the Bombardiers pushed forward for an equalizer, Mansfield scored two more to seal the two points. Madison Brown made 12 saves in the loss and, according to coach Steve Santos, Jordyn Forte and Julia Hayes played well on defense.
Canton, 3 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Milford got a pair of goals from Juliana France and one from Maggie Boyle to earn a draw against the Bulldogs. According to Milford coach Jay Mastaj, Ashleigh Starks also played well for the Hawks.
Foxboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Stoughton took the lead on the Warriors with a goal by Nicole Weir, assisted by Gabbi Diaz. Foxboro responded with four straight goals to get the win, including a pair of goals from Lily Sykes. Katelyn Mollica scored the eventual game-winner before halftime and Jordyn Collins scored early in the second half, before Sykes wrapped up the win with a shot from distance. According to Stoughton coach Tara Daniels, outside backs Cintia Khouzami and Sarina Hutchinson had “outstanding” games.
Franklin @ Taunton – Postponed to 9/20 at 4:00.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Chloe Layne scored a penalty kick to give the Warriors the lead in the fifth minute, but OA bounced back with two goals before halftime to hand KP its first loss of the season. Abby Hodges scored off an Sophia Cox corner kick to tie the game and Erin Holmberg bent a corner directly in for what turned out to be the game-winner. Regan Benton made 14 saves for the Tigers and drew praise from KP coach Gary Pichel, who said that Benton was “clearly one of the best goalkeepers in the state.” OA coach Britt Sellmayer said that Maeve Hogan played a strong game in the OA defense.
Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – It took North only 58 seconds to jump into the lead with a goal from Kayla Pasquel, assisted by Ashlyn Gaulin. Aine Mendonca made it two off another Gaulin assist and Leah Jette made it 3-0 off a Pasquel assist. Gaulin added a pair of second half goals, one off a Haley Guertin shot and the second on an assist by Mackenzie Rosenberg. Emma Noreck had the clean sheet for North and head coach Bill Wallace praised Aly Blaisdell, Felicity Monfils, Britta MacDonald, Haley Ferrin and Emma Gaulin for strong play on both ends of the field.
Field Hockey
Mansfield, 6 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Senior Ann Maher scored a hat trick to pace Mansfield to a win on the road. Heather D’Ambra, Brooke Downey and Haley Crawford each tallied once for the Hornets in the win.
Milford, 1 @ Canton, 7 – Final –
Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final
King Philip, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip’s Christina Hathaway scored and had an assist in the first half, helping the Warriors build a 2-0 lead at the break. Hathaway scored on a feed from Nicole Conor and then set up a goal by Liz Furfari. Furfari made it 3-0 of a pass from Alli Meehan and then Meehan netted the final two goals, one set up by Olivia Kulesza. Abby Campbell turned away three shots in net.
North Attleboro, 8 @ Sharon, 0 – Final
Volleyball
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, Mansfield rattled off two wins to earn the victory on the road (25-23, 19-25, 25-16, 25-16). Julia Harrison had eight kills while Mikayla Kearney had seven digs and eight service points. Emma Ascoli added 14 service points and 24 assists for the Hornets while Jolie O’Neil chipped in with 10 service points.
Milford, 1 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Milford earned a win in the first set but Canton rallied back to win the next three and take the victory (21-25, 25-12, 26-24, 29-27). Nicole Brown ran the Canton’s offense with 37 assists, Taylor Harris had 13 kills and four aces and Rose Hazam and Erin Devine combined for 14 kills. CHS head coach Pat Cawley said Theresa O’Brien provided a spark off the bench with 14 service points.
Stoughton, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – The Black Knights stretched their unbeaten streak to six wins to start the season with a 25-14, 25-12, 25-14 sweep of Foxboro. SHS junior Hanna Holden had a strong game with 14 assists and 9 digs while senior Haley Stone and junior Mia Bennett were solid in the back row combining for over 30 digs.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin’s Ellie Wisniewski had a strong well-rounded game, leading the Panthers to a sweep at home. Wisniewski had seven kills, five aces and two digs while Meaghan Maguire added eight kills and Lauren McGrath finished with 24 assists, three digs, three aces and two kills.
Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro survived a late push from visiting Sharon to complete a sweep (25-11, 25-12, 26-24) and move to 5-0. Senior Kezia De La Cruz had 13 kills and two assists, senior Amelia Murphy added nine kills and senior Leah Marceau paced the offense with 20 assists and four aces.
King Philip, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip went on the road to pick up a sweep of the Tigers, 25-19, 25-11, 25-12. Sydney Phillips led the offensive charge with 11 kills and three digs while Michaela Palumbo added six kills, three aces and 11 service points. Kat Kmetz chipped in with five aces, two kills, one dig and 16 service points.
Golf
Foxboro @ Franklin – Postponed to 10/18 at 3:00.
Oliver Ames @ Taunton – Postponed to 10/17 at 3:30.
Sharon @ Canton – Postponed to 10/13 at 3:00.
Milford, 4 vs. Hopedale, 5 – Final (Match Play)
Stoughton @ North Attleboro – Postponed to 9/27 at 3:00.
Boys Cross Country
Mansfield, 18 @ Attleboro, 44 – Final
Milford, 24 @ Canton, 36 – Final
Stoughton, 28 @ Foxboro, 27 – Final
Taunton, 50 @ Franklin, 15 – Final
King Philip @ Oliver Ames, 3:45
Sharon, 27 @ North Attleboro, 30 – Final
Girls Cross Country
Mansfield, 36 @ Attleboro, 19 – Final
Milford, 36 @ Canton, 21 – Final
Stoughton, 43 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final
Taunton, 32 @ Franklin, 22 – Final
King Philip @ Oliver Ames, 3:45
Sharon, 36 @ North Attleboro, 21 – Final
After registering just four wins a season ago, Big Blue is hoping for a big bounce back year in 2017. The toughest task will be finding replacements for the large amount of seniors that have graduated over the past two seasons. A big reason for hope to get back towards state tournament competition is four-year varsity player Grace Mayer. Mayer has been one of the top players in the Hock over the past couple of the seasons and led the Bombardiers with six goals and three assists for nine points. She will be joined on the forward line by junior Alexis Compton and junior transfer Takara Keele. Head coach Lindsay Antunes said her midfield has been strengthened “immensely” by sophomore Anna Beck, who was pulled up mid-season last year.
“There is an immense amount of unity on this team, and an outpouring of teamwork,” Antunes said. “Under the leadership of our current captains, many girls have assumed these roles [left by graduation] and are taking over the field. Some girls have been forced to transition into roles that are similar to ones they played in in the past, but not quite exact.”
2016 Record: 13-5-2 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Chrissy O’Connor
Canton is returning a strong core of players from a 13-win team a year ago and will be in the hunt for the Davenport title. Key returning players include senior forward Andrea McNeil and junior forward Maggie Malloy, who will be back to pace the Bulldogs’ offense, as well as senior midfielders Emily Campbell and Maggie Wade. With experience back in the mid, the Bulldogs expect to have a strong passing game and strong ball control. Senior Riley Brown will step in as the starting goalie and freshman Maria Femia could make an impact as a rookie.
“Coming into our second season we look to strengthen our passing game and game sense,” said Canton head coach Chrissy O’Connor. “We look forward to another competitive season in the Hockomock League!”
Coming off its best season in program history, Foxboro is now focused on 2017 and trying to write its owm chapter in the history books. While the Warriors graduated over a half a dozen seniors, they return last year’s Hockomock League MVP in goalie Kelli McCarthy as well as 2016 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Lily Daly. With experience on both ends of the field, Foxboro is set up nicely for 2017. Daly has led the Warriors in scoring in each of the past two seasons.
The middle of the field will look most familiar from last season with seniors Jackie Brion and Catherine Luciano, and juniors Meghan Curran and Sophia DiCenso all returning after playing valuable minutes last season. The biggest challenge for the Warriors could be replacing starting defenders Kelly Fisher and Angela VandenBoom, who both graduated.
2016 Record: 12-4-4 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions) 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinal Coach: Lisa Cropper
The defending Kelley-Rex division champions are in a good spot with so many returning players from last year’s squad. Leading the way is HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Annie Walsh, who led the Hockomock League with 25 points a season ago. Cassi Ronan (16 points) and Erin Walsh (10 points) are also back as Franklin returns its top three scorers. Another positive is that Franklin has some experience back on the defensive end as well. Kate Morse is back to anchor the unit after an impressive junior season and will be joined by Meri Gendreau and Emily Valentino in front of goalie Christina Luccini. Head coach Lisa Cropper expects senior Maddie Hinckley and freshman Victoria Quinn to also play big roles for the Panthers.
“Our biggest asset this season is depth,” Cropper said. “We are hoping to wear down our opponents and utilize our speed late in games.”
After coming just a point shy of splitting the league title with Franklin a season ago, King Philip returns a strong core that will look to make another push for the Kelley-Rex crown. One big reason that the Warriors will be in the mix is because senior goalie Abby Campbell is back in the cage this season. And in front of Campbell, KP returns senior Christina Hathaway – two big reasons why the Warriors allowed only 13 goals all season in 2016. The offense will look very familiar with senior Liz Furfari (13 points) and junior Alli Meehan (25 points) back in the fold. Juniors Kate Lindmark and Caroline Klim will help bolster the defense while Nicole Connor and Dana Truini will be important players in the midfield.
“We have speed and can create a quick transition game with our passing game and formation,” said KP head coach Liz Hathaway. “We also have a couple of big hitters which should help us generate getting the ball inside the offensive 25 and to execute on corners.”
2016 Record: 13-5-2 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Theresa Nyhan
Mansfield is relying on seven returning seniors and a mix of young players as they look to get back to the state tournament yet again this season. The Hornets have senior leadership all over the field, which will be important in a very deep and talented league. Up top, Mansfield had Heather D’Amdra and Kristina O’Connell, while seniors Emily Ierardo and Ann Maher will lead the way from the midfield. On the defensive end, seniors Nicole Berluti, Julia Burhman and Brittany Lam will anchor the back line.
“As a unit we are looking to move the ball at pace,” said Mansfield head coach Theresa Nyhan. “We have speed at all levels and look to transition quickly.”
2016 Record: 3-15-2 2016 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Kim Danish
Although the Hawks graduated 11 seniors from last year’s squad, they return some key pieces that head coach Kim Danish is hoping will help Milford take a step forward. The Hawks will lean on tri-captains Shannon Cormier (the team’s leading scorer last season), Danielle Fokas (who will start on the wing) and Emily Condon (a returning member of the Hawks’ defense) to pave the way this season. Kate Wimette, Colby Bowers and Megan Larouco will see time in the midfield while Julie Rabinowitz would see time all over the field, depending on need. Milford is looking to rely on speed on offense to try and get the offense going.
“We have a strong mix of seven returning seniors who are fantastic leaders and a great core group from last year’s JV team who will step up and make an immediate impact on the field,” Danish said. “Overall, the motivation and work ethic among this group has been top notch! We are looking forward to a great season.”
After missing out on the state tournament in back-to-back years, Big Red field hockey is hoping to make a run at the Davenport crown and get back to the MIAA playoffs. One tough task will be replacing 14 seniors, including all-league goalie Liz Morehouse, all-star Mary Kummer and all-league honorable mention Teresa Bagarella. But head coach Karen Folan is confident she has the pieces to compete in a deep Hockomock League this year. Senior captains Emilie Pothier, Olivia Gedgaudus and Camille Pizarro return to make up the majority of the midfield. Senior Katherine Munley is also back on the wing, giving Big Red some speed on the outside. Sophomore Emma Strachan takes over in net this season, with Folan describing her as “quick and aggressive.”
“The returning members of the varsity team have shown they are ready to fill in any gaps our line up may have after graduating 14 seniors,” Folan said. “And our new team members are eager to step onto the varsity playing field.”
2016 Record: 11-6-3 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Abby Tepper
Oliver Ames will be relying on a mix of experience and youth as they try to stay competitive in a deep Kelley-Rex division. It starts with senior captain Sarah Stevens in the midfield, who will be the “quarterback” of the midfield according to head coach Abby Tepper. Senior Cristina Boudreau and junior Kayla Lozzi will bolster that midfield while senior Liz Nuss will provide speed to the attacking group. OA’s defense will be anchored by senior captain Sarah Tetrault while senior Caitlin Grant will be the starting goalie. Freshman Brynna Courneen has impressed defensively early on.
“This year our offense will be quick and have speed,” Tepper said. “We have some young players filling the wing spots and we are working on being hungry inside the circle. We want to be a scrappy team and get the ball in the bucket no matter what it takes. Our defense does a solid job recovering for one another in the circle and stepping to ball without hesitation. As a team we want to build a positive culture and work hard day in and day out.”
2016 Record: 1-17-0 2016 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Andrea Vandette
Now in her third year at the helm of the Sharon Eagles, head coach Andrea Vandette is confident that her squad is ready to take the next step and find some more success. The Eagles are led by three captains: Elyse Korn, Abbi Solomon and Grace Leavitt. Leavitt started to come on strong at the end of the year last season and will be the anchor for the Eagles’ defensive unit this season. Senior Lindsay Moses will be be in the cage and has a good amount of varsity experience under her belt. In the midfield, Leora Leavitt will be in the center of the field and one of the Eagles’ most reliable players. Vandette is also expecting juniors Veronica Wallace and Stephanie Edwards to continue their growth after picking up the sport a season ago.
“My main goal for the girls this season is to compete,” Vendette said. “Being that this is my third year with the program, I believe they know my expectations and the seniors have a good understanding of how to move the ball on the field and how to be successful. We certainly have enough talent to put a few more wins on the board this season!”
2016 Record: 8-9-3 2016 Finish: Reached D1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Dan Mark
Despite graduating a handful of talented players, including 2015 Hockomock League MVP Angela Connolly, Stoughton head coach Dan Mark is bringing back several key players for the 2017 version of the Black Knights. The Black Knights’ offense will look the most similar to last season’s team that qualified for the state tournament. Julia Russell, Kamryn Oliveira and Jackie Evangelista are returning forwards who played regularly last year. Lisa Ramanauskas is a returning midfielder, and Haley Bushlow is back to anchor the back line. Gianna Barbosa will be the starting goalie again this season.
“We have several returning players who played many minutes last year and are expected to step in as starters this year,” Mark said.
2016 Record: 2-15-1 2016 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Elizabeth Hathaway
With a strong core of experienced players back, and a couple of young talents looking to make an impression, the Tigers are hoping to improve on last year’s season. Senior Kya Enos has been a steady presence for the Tigers for the past four seasons and will be relied upon to lead the attack long with senior Liana Duarte. Juniors Jillian Pagliuca and Lauren Torres will be tasked with controlling the midfield along with freshman Alana Tavares. Sophomore Kathryn Robinson will be a key piece of Taunton’s defensive unit this season
“Our strength will be the ability of the forwards and mids to move the ball up the field,” said Taunton head coach Liz Hathaway. “Speed is also a factor that will help our offensive attacks.”
Players to Watch
Players are listed alphabetically
Abby Campbell, King Philip – Campbell has been one of the top goalies in the league for the past two seasons and helped KP come within a point of sharing the league title with Franklin last season and reaching the Div. 1 South semifinal. She had 11 shutouts in 2016 and saved 130-of-143 shots that she faced, finishing with a goals against average of 0.619.
Emily Campbell, Canton – Campbell was a versatile weapon for the Bulldogs, helping out both in midfield and defense to help Canton win 13 games and achieve a plus-40 goal differential for the season. With Campbell playing a critical role, Canton allowed only 14 goals on the year, which was second best in the league. She also chipped in with three goals and seven assists.
Lily Daly, Foxboro – Daly has been the leading scorer for the Warriors in each of her two varsity seasons, helping Foxboro win its first league title in 11 years and its first ever Div. 2 South title. Daly is a force near the net and was chosen as the HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year after scoring 16 goals and recording 11 assists.
Emily Ierardo, Mansfield – Ierardo emerged last season as one of the top offensive weapons for the Hornets, helping Mansfield make another run at the league title and reach the second round of the state tournament. She played five different positions in the forward and midfield areas and she scored nine goals and recorded six assists last fall.
Maggie Malloy, Canton – Malloy made quite the impact in her first season playing field hockey. She jumped onto the Canton varsity squad early in the season and finished as the league’s top goal scorer with 16 tallies for the year. She was a big reason for Canton’s improvement offensively and this year, with a season of experience, Malloy could have even bigger numbers.
Kelli McCarthy, Foxboro – Voted Hockomock MVP by the league’s coaches, McCarthy was the backstop for a Warriors defense that was one of the best in the league and helped Foxboro claim a Davenport division title and its first ever Div. 2 South title. She finished with 115 saves on the season and recorded 15 shutouts in 23 games, allowing only 13 goals total.
Alli Meehan, King Philip – Meehan was integral to KP making a run at the league title last season, holding a lead into the final week of the regular season, and reaching the Div. 1 South semifinal. Meehan scored 14 goals and recorded 11 assists to tie for the league-high in points. She also assisted on the goal that forced overtime against Somerset-Berkeley in a state tournament win.
Cassi Ronan, Franklin – Ronan was a versatile cog in Franklin’s league championship season in 2016, playing both midfield and forward for the Panthers. She finished with 10 goals and seven assists, while being named to the HockomockSports.com First Team, but also did a lot of the defensive work that didn’t show up in the box score.
Sarah Stevens, Oliver Ames – Stevens had a strong season for Oliver Ames in 2016 and the senior will be counted on to create scoring opportunities for the Tigers again this fall. She scored six goals and recorded nine assists for OA last season, helping the Tigers get to 11 wins on the season, beat Durfee in the first round of the playoffs, and push perennial power Walpole to overtime.
Annie Walsh, Franklin – Walsh is the reigning HockomockSports.com Player of the Year (she was also Player of the Year in girls’ lacrosse) after leading the Panthers to a Kelley-Rex division title. A year after being named Underclassman of the Year, Walsh took her game to another level with 14 goals and 11 assists for a league-high 25 points.
Hockey
Attleboro, 5 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk, 1 – Final – Attleboro’s PJ Elliott netted a hat trick while Jake Parker and Dylan Wallace each scored once for the Bombardiers.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Cullen Gallagher netted a pair of goals, including one shorthanded, to lead the Tigers. Max Ward opened the scoring for OA while Zach Walsh had 24 saves in net. OA head coach Sean Bertoni said Korey Sweezey and Matt McCormick had strong performances.
North Attleboro, 4 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – Jason McNeany scored in the first period to open the scoring before Feehan tied the game right before the horn. Erik Clements, Hunter Sarro and Anthony Zamiello each scored in the second period for the Rocketeers.
Stoughton, 2 vs. Cape Cod Tech, 6 – Final – Jon Lessa and Josh Hough scored the goals for the Black Knights.
Wrestling
Hanover Quad (Canton) – Canton went 1-2 for the day, picking up a win early but falling in the second two meets. The Bulldogs beat Norwell (36-30) before falling to Duxbury (43-31) and Hanover (40-39).
Mike Melish Duals (Foxboro, Sharon) – Foxboro finished second overall.
Franklin @ Lawrence – Postponed
Milford Tournament (King Philip, Milford), 12:00
Braintree Quad (Mansfield) – Postponed.
North Attleboro Quad (North Attleboro) – North Attleboro won three matches on the day, extending its winning streak to seven. The Rocketeers bet Plymouth North (55-9), Norton (39-31) and Burrillville (42-11) on the day.
Marshfield Super Quad (Oliver Ames) – Oliver Ames picked up three wins in four matches at Marshfield High School. The Tigers beat Whitman-Hanson (63-12), Toll Gate (51-12) and Durfee (48-15) while falling to Marshfield (42-33). Liston Funai (132) went 4-0 with three pints while Dean Pacini (195) also went 4-0. Cobey Williamson (120), Brandon Belleton (138) and Chris Belleton each went 3-0 on the day. Joe Savino, Eric Berardi, Sean Cosgrove, Billy Tat and Jack Mills each had two wins for OA.
Sandwich Quad (Taunton) – Taunton’s Josh Grasso picked up three wins via pin on his way to a first place finish at 125. Alex Simon (170) and Nuno Camara (182) each placed second while freshman Woudanly Danger (220) finished third.
Weymouth Quad (Stoughton), 10:00AM
Indoor Track (@ Reggie Lewis Center) Boys
Attleboro, 29 vs. Mansfield, 71 – Final – Mansfield placed first in eight events to take down Attleboro. Mike Shannon won the 300M (37.51), Nick Rispoli took first in the 600M (1:27.99), Patrick Heavey won the 1000M (2:42.92), Jack Olsen won the high jump (5-04.00), Kevin McCree won the shot put (41-07.00) and Cameron MacIntyre won the 55M hurdles (8.27). The Hornets also won both the 4×200 and 4×400 relays. Attleboro’s Isaiah Rodriguez won the 55M dash (6.73), David Seybert won both the 1 Mile (4:39.36) and the 2 Mile (10:12.67) and Victor Centeno placed first in the long jump (20-11.00).
Canton, 26 vs. Milford, 65 – Final – Milford junior Jack Kalil set a new school record in the 2 Mile, finishing in 10:15.80 to beat the previous record by nearly two seconds. Milford also got wins from Cameron Clark (38.02) in the 300M and the 55M hurdles (8.35), Chris Cicciu (1:28.40) in the 600M, Joey Madden (2:44.96) in the 1000M and Kevin Truong (19-02.00) in the long jump. Canton’s Muhammad Sambo won the 55M dash in 7.16 while Jack Healey was first in the 1 Mile (4:58.80) and Ben Mendillo won the shot put (33-02.25).
Foxboro, 51 vs. Stoughton, 49 – Final – The Warriors swept the 55M dash and the high jump to edge Stoughton. Nate Rogers (6.99), Owen Whitney (7.25) and Hunter Williams (7.28) went one-two-three in the 55M dash while Matt Nutting (5-10.00), Whitney (5-06.00), and Rogers (5-06.00) were the top three in the high jump. Other Foxboro winners included Williams in the 300M (39.94) and Brendan Foley in the 600M (1:34.29), as well as the 4×200 relay team. Stoughton’s Will Eckhart (3:01.66) and Terry Lapomarede (3:05.99) were first and second in the 1000M, Colin Cochran won the 1 Mile race (5:10.98), Zach Ferreira won the 2 Mile race (11:08.05), Kyle Reason finished first in the 55M hurdles (8.59) and the long jump (18-00.50) and James Tarchara (43-03.00) won the shot put.
Franklin, 36 vs. Taunton, 64 – Final – Taunton grabbed first place in nine different events to pick up a win against Franklin. Dylan Lynch won a pair of events for the Tigers, finishing first in the 1 Mile (4:49.28) and the 2 Mile (10:06.78). Jadin Bruneau won the 55M dash (6.93), Lucas Alves was first in the 300M (37.85), Jimmy Hoye took first in the 600M (1:31.33), Ryan Leason (39-01.00), John Chretien (37-10.00) and Jared Taje (37-05.25) swept the shot put, Nathan Grant was first in the high jump (5-06.00) and Sam Krajewski won the long jump (18-09.25). Franklin won both the 2x400n and the 4×400 relays while getting a win from Nicolas Gnamen (2:50.74) in the 1000M.
King Philip, 54 vs. Oliver Ames, 46 – Final – A sweep in the shot put helped King Philip edge Oliver Ames. Alex Olsen (41-06.00), Gio Fernandez (40-09.75) and Ter Jacobs-Baston (37-03.00) placed first, second and third, respectively for the Warriors. Freshman Michael Griffin won the 1000M (2:44.92), freshman Michael Norberg took first in the 2 Mile (10:58.20), senior Ethan Dunne crossed the line first in the 55M hurdles (8.20) and Aeden Angelone took first in the high jump (5-10.00). Oliver Ames’ Kalil Matier was first in the 55M dash (7.15) and the long jump (20-01.00), Belmund Rodrigues-Pires took first in the 300M (37.37), Matt Campbell finished first in the 600M (1:30.38) and Zane Reservitz crossed first in the 1 Mile (4:50.59). The teams split the relays with KP winning the 2×400 while Oliver Ames came in first in the 4×400.
North Attleboro, 55 vs. Sharon, 45 – Final – The Rocketeers earned a sweep at high jump and Jonathan Shultz won a pair of individual races to edge out the Eagles. Shultz was first in the 600M (1:33.73) and the 55M hurdles (8.36). Nick Rajotte won the 55M dash for North Attleboro in 6.78 while Matt Reimels was first in the 1000M (2:41.48). Matt Tarantino (6-00.00), Omar Jasseh (5-08.00) and Mario Bresko (5-06.00) swept the high jump. For Sharon, Tianrui Sun won both the 1 Mile (4:42.05) and the 2 Mile (10:29.53) races. Matthew Hoffman won the 300M (37.84), Patrick Carries (44-07.50) and Jeffrey Thomas (44-02.50) went one-two in the shot put and Juvan Elisma was first in the long jump (20-11.25).
Girls
Attleboro, 11 vs. Mansfield, 89 – Final – Mansfield won 11 of 12 events, sweeping in five of them. Amanda Mangano won the 55M in 7.82 and was first in the high jump at 4-11.00, Mikaela Maughn finished first in the 300M (46.21), Alexis Kiyanda took first in the 600M (1:58.13), Caitlin Whitman crossed first in the 1000M (3:18.32), Julie Romano won the 1 Mile (6:02.32), Lauren Duggan was the top finisher in the 2 Mile (12:32.69), Heather D’Ambra took first in the 55M hurdles (10.59) and Olivia Horn took first in the long jump (14-09.50). Attleboro’s Tianna Ridge won the shot put at 27-09.25.
Canton, 48 vs. Milford, 51 – Final – Milford’s Chrissy Speliakos won the 55M hurdles in 9.25, the long jump (15-08.75) and ran the anchor leg on the 4×200 relay that clinched the victory for the Scarlet Hawks. Milford also got a win from freshman Juliana France in the 600M (1:48.07). Canton’s Selena Cho was first in the 55M dash (7.89), Hannah Link won the 300M (44.12), Sarah Collins was a double winner, taking first in the 1000M (3:36.67) and the 1 Mile (5:49.50) while James Polsgrove was first in the 2 Mile (12:51.71) for the Bulldogs. Freshman Bronwyn Mahoney had a first place finish in the shot put (27-08.00).
Foxboro, 73 vs. Stoughton, 27 – Final – Senior Angela VandenBoom won a pair of events while grabbed first in 11 of the 12 events. VandenBoom won the 300M (45.00) and the high jump (4-07.00). Freshman Amanda Walden won the 55M dash (7.94), Meredith Cronin was first in the 600M (1:46.78), Nicole Yeomans placed first in the 1000M (3:40.38), Lexi Quinn won the 2 Mile race (12:20.26), Malaysia Cabral won the 55M hurdles (10.29), Solange Stamatos won the shot put (26-05.75) and Ana Sanchez was first in the long jump (15-05.00). Stoughton junior Mia Greene (6:02.07) won the 1 Mile race with Amelia Cochran (6:06.94) finishing second.
Franklin, 67 vs. Taunton, 33 – Final – Franklin sophomore Halle Atkinson won a pair of individual races and anchored the 4×200 relay to a win. Atkinson won the 55M dash in 7.70 and took first in the 300M in 43.19. The Panther’s 4×200 crossed first in 1:52.80. Franklin’s Lauren McGrath also had a big day for the Panthers, scoring in three events. McGrath was second in the high jump (4-07.00), third in long jump (15-00.50) and second 55M hurdles (10.18). Taunton freshman Victoria Gravel was first in the 55M hurdles (10.10), senior Shannon Stokes won the high jump (4-09.00) and Samantha Tichelaar took first in the long jump (16-02.50).
King Philip, 39 vs. Oliver Ames, 61 – Final – Oliver Ames placed first in eight of the 12 events while sweeping the 1000M race. Dana Lowney was first in the 1000M (3:13.53) while Jess Robarge was second (3:32.57) and Jessica Mills was third (3:32.87). Senior Elizabeth Hausman was first in the 300M (46.37), Lauren Wright won the 600M (1:45.83), Olivia Timbone crossed first in the 2 Mile (12:59.34), Desiree Snead won the 55M hurdles (9.44) Antonia Peretti was first in the shot put (28-10.25) and junior Rachel Clark (15-02.50) and freshman Madison Perry (14-09.50) finished first and second, respectively, in the long jump. King Philip’s Hannah Balunos was first in the 55M dash (7.90), Krista Cepkauskas was first in the 1 Mile (5:47.44) and Abigail McKeown won the high jump (4-11.00).
North Attleboro, 49 vs. Sharon, 51 – Final – Sharon won seven events while North Attleboro claimed first in five in the closest race of the day. Junior Ariadne Tolay won both the 1000M (3:17.69) and the 1 Mile (5:29.53) for the Eagles. Angela Wallace won the 55M dash (7.62), Erica Laidler was first in the 600M (1:45.94), Maria Gieg won the 2 Mile (12:15.02) and freshman Jade Johnson won the long jump (16-01.75). North Attleboro got first place finishes from Rachel LaBonte in the 300M (43.83), Rene Gagne in the 55M hurdles (10.14), Julia Mechlinski in the shot put (34-04.00) and Samantha Gaskin in the high jump (4-11.00).
Gymnastics
King Philip @ Attleboro – Postponed to TBA.
Sharon @ Canton, 1:30
Girls Hockey
Canton, 0 @ Barnstable, 4 – Final
Franklin, 6 vs. Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake, 0 – Final
King Philip, 4 vs. Medway/Ashland, 1 – Final – King Philip raced out to a 3-0 lead through two periods and held off Medway/Ashland in the third. Olivia McCarthy opened scoring late in the first period, finishing off a rebound from a Katie Crowther shot from the point. Nicole Connor scored her first goal of the season 10 minutes into the second period on a wrist shot from straight away that found the top corner of the net. Liz Furfari closed the second period with her second goal of the season, driving hard to the net and slipping the puck between the goalies legs. In a penalty filled third period, Medway/Ashland brought the game within two goals, but Furfari added her second goal late to seal the win for KP. KP coach Jack Unger said goalie Lilly Potts had a great game in net to secure her second win of the season.
Mansfield celebrates the opening goal for Amalia Todesco (19) that turned out to be the game-winner in a dominant performance against Nauset in the D1 South preliminary round. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Wednesday night’s Div. 1 South preliminary round matchup started with a spell of pressure from the visiting team, as Nauset put Mansfield on its heels for the first minute or two and earned the game’s first penalty corner.
The remaining 58 minutes were completely dominated by the Hornets, last year’s D1 South finalists. Mansfield rolled to a 5-0 win at Alumni Field with five different players getting on the score sheet and the Hornets forcing Nauset goalie Lucy McNamara to make 19 saves (14 in the first half alone).
When asked if this was the most dominant performance of the season, Mansfield coach Theresa Nyhan said, “We’ve played a few games like this, but it’s nice to be able to score some goals too. We reached our goals today. We wanted quick passes through the midfield and we wanted to get the ball deep right and put the pressure on.”
McNamara was forced into action early and often by the Hornets. Emily Ierardo started the onslaught in the third minute with a point-blank chance that the goalie kicked aside. Three minutes later Caitlin Whitman had a shot off a corner that was saved and three minutes after that it was Olivia Horn who had not one but two shots kicked away.
Another penalty corner in the 12th minute saw McNamara make another stop on Ann Maher’s blast from the edge of the circle and, despite the goalie’s heroics, it felt like the breakthrough was imminent.
The opening goal came on a rebound as Ierardo had another chance from close range denied but the ball skidded out to Amalia Todesco and the senior hit a low shot through traffic to make it 1-0.
Nyhan explained, “We went with our speedy lineup and we have to give credit to Emily Ierardo…she is relentless all by herself putting tons of pressure on. Everyone turned it up.”
McNamara was forced to stand on her head to keep the Hornets at bay and she denied Horn again in the 18th minute with a diving save then dove back across goal to make a second stop. Mansfield kept pressing and a third shot hit a foot of a defender on the line to give the Hornet a penalty stroke that Whitman coolly put away to double the lead.
The scoring opportunities kept coming for Mansfield, which forced 10 penalty corners in the opening half (to just three for Nauset) and saw goalie Molly Norton spend almost the entire 60 minutes as a spectator with little to do.
Nauset defender Madison Morris cleared a pair of chances off the line with seven minutes to go until halftime and McNamara closed the first half with a flurry, making stops on shots by Mariana Palanza and Heather D’Ambra.
“They kind of put a girl right on the goal line,” said Nyhan of the Nauset set-up. “They didn’t come out and pressure us either; it kind of worked for us.”
Any hope for Nauset was extinguished early in the second half when Mansfield tacked on a third goal just two minutes after the break. Kristina O’Connell played a ball into the crease that was tipped by Ierardo but saved by McNamara. The ball broke kindly for Palanza, who stepped up and tipped it into the empty net.
“Our talk was just to draw a couple corners early,” said Nyhan of the team talk at halftime. “Defensively they had a high percentage of their team in that circle, so it gets a little crowded. What we did today really was shooting the ball early. We were just firing it on goal.”
That plan continued in the 40th minute when Todesco ripped a shot from the right side and O’Connell turned it in at the near post with a clever deflection. In the 57th minute, Mansfield sealed the big win by adding a fifth, Mairead Dunn stepping up from her defensive position and firing a low shot through legs in front and into the bottom corner.
With the win, 13th-seed Mansfield (13-4-2) will travel to face No. 4 seed Sandwich on Friday afternoon in the first round.
Elizabeth Nuss (16) was all smiles after scoring one her three goals on Wednesday against Mansfield, including two in the opening four minutes. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – A biting wind was whipping across Muscato Stadium on Wednesday evening and blowing a cold mist around the field. Rather than having her team sit in the weather waiting for the start of the varsity game, first-year Oliver Ames coach Abby Tepper moved the Tigers inside to warm up.
“I had them go into the team room before because they were sitting out watching the JV game,” said Tepper. “I usually try to give them a good pregame speech…I think they took it well.”
Whatever happened prior to the start of the game, once the whistle blew the Tigers were fired up and raced out to a 3-0 lead inside the first eight minutes. Junior Elizabeth Nuss scored two goals in that stretch and added a third with nine minutes remaining to clinch a 6-4 victory for the Tigers over division rival Mansfield.
“Liz is very quick,” said Tepper. “At practice I have her get on pads the whole time. We work all offense at practice because that’s what I knew and we do a ton of drills, a ton of tipping. She just knows to get on pads because I throw her on there all the time.”
Nuss was right on the pads of Mansfield goalie Molly Norton (six saves) just two minutes in to tap in a rebound after Norton saved two shots from the Tigers. Just two minutes later and Nuss scored from further away as her shot from the right side slipped through a traffic jam in front of goal and found the back of the net.
OA added a third in the eight minute when Sarah Stevens teed up Dimitra efremidis at the edge of the circle off a penalty corner. The senior buried the chance and forced the Hornets to take an early timeout.
“They came out strong, but actually we did too,” said Mansfield coach Theresa Nyhan. “The difference was the way they positioned the player in front of the goalie. It kind of threw us for a loop.
“It kind of threw our goalie off and then once we got that straightened out I thought it was a pretty even game. It’s just too bad that we started in the deficit.”
Katherine Vamosi made six of her nine saves in the first half and denied several Mansfield chances, but in the 13th minute the Hornets got on the board. Jill Hobaica was in the right place in front of goal to tip home a centering pass from Caitlin Whitman. The momentum only lasted four minutes before OA answered back on another long-range shot from Efremidis that snuck through a tangle of legs in front to make it 4-1.
With the lead, OA started to sit back a little deeper and Mansfield took advantage to get back into the game. A ball knocked in from the edge of the circle was tipped by Heather D’Amrab and flicked over the goalie’s pads by sophomore Maggie Danehy. Three minutes later and the lead was cut to just one when Whitman’s cross was redirected by Danehy into the path of Emily Ierardo at the back stick to tap in.
The scoring was not done with Sydney Hedrickredirecting Cristina Boudreau’s near post cross to widen the gap to two goals. Vamosi came up with a big sliding stop on Olivia Horn in the final seconds of the half to keep it 5-3.
“I think at the end of the first half we were back on our heels,” said Tepper. “We played with a lead and we weren’t playing aggressive… I told them that they had to keep the same intensity that they had at the beginning.”
The Hornets did come out of the break with renewed energy and eight minutes into the second half had cut the lead back to one. Ierardo was denied on a penalty corner by a point-blank save, but Mansfield kept the pressure up and Horn’s shot rebounded to the stick of Kristina O’Connell to make it 5-4.
OA did not sit back on the lead but continued to counter quickly and had several chances on the break. The Hornets continued to pressure and create openings in an entertaining end-to-end half.
“It was a fun game,” said Nyhan. “We needed enthusiasm and we brought it today. They played great, Oliver Ames played great…take away those first two, three goals and it was anybody’s game.”
With the Hornets chasing the tying goal, the Tigers were able to strike and put the game away. Efremidis had a restart on the left side and it was tipped Boudreau into the path of Nuss to close out her hat trick and seal the win.
“That was a reassurance one, for sure,” Tepper said. “But still anything could have happened in 10 minutes.”
Nyhan said, “I thought we had a shot but by that point, you know, we had key people who were tired and we just couldn’t quite pull the trigger. It was tough to do it at the end.”
Oliver Ames (6-0-3, 5-0-3) will try to keep the momentum going against Milford on Friday before having a week to prepare for the visit of Tepper’s alma mater, Foxboro. Mansfield (4-3-1, 4-3-1) will try to bounce back on the grass at Sharon on Friday.
