WATERTOWN – Head coach Jen Criminal felt dropping by seven objectives on Saturday to four-time reigning Div. 4 state champion Uxbridge was a troublesome tablet to swallow for the No. 6 Somerset Berkley area hockey group.
Three days later, it responded by handing four-time reigning Div. 3 state champion Watertown its first loss since 2019.
With Julie Pacheco’s go-ahead aim lower than two minutes into the fourth quarter, Somerset Berkley confirmed composure to shake off Watertown’s game-tying, two-goal rally, and snap its 103-game win streak with a 4-3 victory. Addie Finlaw scored twice, whereas Jen Criminal’s son, Ryan Criminal, had an help as a part of a serious influence he had from the midfield.
So far as rebounds go, this was large for the reigning Div. 2 state champions.
“(We’re) very excited, we talked about (the win streak) on the bus,” Jen Criminal mentioned. “We knew what was at stake. However I’m glad we got here out to play tonight, we actually obtained it (handed) to us Saturday. So this was nice to rebound the best way they did as we speak and I’m very pleased with how they performed.”
“(The important thing) was simply to comprehend that although it was a extremely robust loss, we all know Uxbridge is a extremely good group,” Finlaw added. “(This win) actually boosts our confidence, however I feel it’s simply getting us excited to attempt to get again to the place we had been final 12 months.”
It’s solely becoming that Pacheco’s game-winner got here on a rebound, since that was the image of a recreation like this.
Somerset Berkley obtained off to a quick begin, placing offensive stress on the Watertown protection instantly with six first-quarter corners. Its capacity to rapidly carve its method down the sector – anchored by Finlaw, Ella Vaught and Ryan Criminal – helped it construct a 3-1 lead halfway by the second quarter.
Watertown took momentum again by rallying with two objectives, forcing a 3-3 tie heading into the ultimate quarter-hour.
However Ryan Criminal dribbled by heavy site visitors to achieve the circle with a go to Finlaw, whose shot went off the pads of Watertown freshman Natalia Keuchikarian (eight saves) proper to Pacheco. She gathered it calmly for the go-ahead tally with 13:03 left.
“Fourth quarter, we realized we have now to select it up,” Finlaw mentioned. “It’s solely 15 extra minutes, and it’s both you win, you tie otherwise you lose. And we want to win, clearly.”
Regardless of the loss, Watertown head coach Eileen Donahue felt this was her group’s finest displaying of the 12 months – displaying a toughness and tenacity to rally.
She took the loss with grace, denying any notion of being upset about dropping the streak.
“That was the furthest factor from my thoughts,” Donahue mentioned. “The primary focus was for my group to be aggressive, and that’s been a spotlight with us in our earlier six video games. … What a aggressive recreation, it was superior.”
She continued: “We should always construct on this. … yeah, we made errors. And we’ve obtained to construct off that.”
Sophia Setouhi scored the second and third objectives for Watertown within the rally, showcasing her blazing pace off of fresh set-ups from Aisling Brennock out of the midfield.
Finlaw scored the sport’s first aim on a stroke within the closing minute of the second quarter, and Emma Cormier tipped within the second aim for a 2-1 lead. Ava Anderson reduce that deficit in half within the second quarter, however Criminal helped flip the sector in lower than a minute after to assist arrange Finlaw’s second aim for a 3-1 lead.
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