ATTLEBORO — Coming off a first-round exit in every of the final 4 Div. 1 state tournaments, the purpose all yr for the Attleboro subject hockey workforce was to make the match and advance to — a minimum of — the Spherical of 16.
Saturday morning, behind a two-goal second half and a lockdown defensive efficiency all through, the Thirteenth-seeded Bombardiers (14-4-1) pulled it off with a 2-0 Div. 1 first-round win over No. 20 Beverly.
Attleboro hadn’t superior this far within the match since a minimum of 2010. It attracts No. 4 Lincoln-Sudbury on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in quest of the state quarterfinals.
Beverly ends its season at 11-6-2.
“It’s the primary time I’ve made it to the Spherical of 16,” stated Attleboro head coach Jessica Pink. “Very happy with them, particularly graduating folks final yr. Mikayla (Whitehead) stepped up as our goalie, and he or she’s solely a sophomore. She had no photographs on her as we speak, which reveals rather a lot about the way in which they performed.”
The Bombardiers managed possession via a lot of the sport, continually occupying the attacking half. A number of of the waves generated harmful seems early on, however Beverly’s protection principally plugged up lanes within the circle to restrict photographs on purpose within the first half to 6.
Charlotte Stevens (10 saves) had 5 saves and Avery LeBlanc had the primary of her two defensive saves to maintain the sport scoreless heading into halftime.
Nerves began to construct a bit with how a lot time was spent on the attacking finish with nothing to point out for it.
“Our purpose board from the preseason, we stated we wished to make it to the Spherical of 16 at minimal,” Pink stated. “I stated to the women (at halftime), it’s 0-0, we’ve got our purpose, we’ve got an image of it, and I used to be like, ‘We haven’t hit that purpose but. … Someone’s obtained to need it sufficient to assist us attain that purpose.’ ”
Beverly obtained behind the Attleboro protection for the primary time within the first two minutes of the third quarter, although a via go rolled past the tip line to spoil a possible breakaway bid. Only a few minutes later, the Bombardiers gave themselves some air to breathe by lastly punching in that purpose on a nook.
A artful play arrange star midfielder Kelsey McCleary on the high of the circle with area, who carried it to the best earlier than sending a ball via visitors to the backdoor publish. Niah Callahan tipped it up and batted it in for the 1-0 lead.
“I don’t even understand how she obtained it in,” Pink stated. “That preliminary purpose, particularly because it was earlier on within the half, was like, ‘Alright, we obtained this.’ … We undoubtedly settled down after that.”
Attleboro remained regular on protection, by no means permitting a shot on purpose. It solely allowed one nook, however that was after an insurance coverage purpose from Megan Huntington — once more arrange by a McCleary shot — gave it a 2-0 lead early within the fourth quarter.
McCleary and Tatiana Outland particularly stood out because the Bombardiers dominated the midfield to maintain the strain out of their aspect of the sphere.
