BRIDGEWATER – The senior-laden Hingham subject hockey crew isn’t but executed shattering its ceilings.
After falling in every of the final two Div. 2 Last Fours – the primary two journeys in program historical past – the No. 1 Harbormen (20-1-1) made three their magic quantity Thursday night time with a 4-1 state semifinal win over No. 4 Canton at Bridgewater-Raynham Excessive College.
Depth was as soon as once more on the forefront of a powerful win on each ends for Hingham, holding off a number of harmful Bulldogs (16-2-4) possessions earlier than a three-goal second half separated it. Senior Caitlin Patten scored twice in a well-balanced assault.
Now 13 seniors who’ve pioneered a significant shift to show this system right into a perennial energy the previous couple of years get to benefit from the Harbormen’s first state last look on Saturday at Burlington Excessive College.
They play No. 3 Somerset-Berkley at 2:30 p.m.
“I feel we knew we had been able to it, however we simply by no means allowed ourselves to think about previous the subsequent recreation,” mentioned Hingham head coach Susan Petrie. “They’ve labored so onerous for therefore lengthy collectively. … It’s superior. They simply imagine in one another a lot. It’s not an over-confidence factor, it’s not a cockiness – they simply know that no matter occurs, their teammates shall be there for them.”
“It means every part (to interrupt by means of),” added senior captain Ryan Hallisey. “It’s simply so thrilling. … In the beginning of the sport I used to be nervous, they’re a very good crew. I’m simply so pleased with us. This implies a lot. I’m so excited.”
Canton introduced each little bit of the problem that led it to a second straight Last 4 journey, making use of heavy offensive stress in waves behind 100-point scorers senior Carolyn Schiavo and junior Shannon Lane.
However Hallisey, senior Kaitlyn Manning, sophomore Sam McCabe (defensive save) and sophomore Claire LaRonde particularly stood out in serving to Molly McDonald (seven saves) put up a shutout till the ultimate two minutes.
Again-and-forth groups traded transitions within the first interval, however Hingham lastly gained an edge 5 minutes into the second quarter with Patten’s first purpose for a 1-0 lead.
“After our first purpose, it simply confirmed us that we will rating on this recreation,” Hallisey mentioned. “That we actually do have it. … It was actually back-and-forth. It was good to see that we might pull off a purpose and hold scoring.”
Canton introduced a little bit of a storm offensively in response, however couldn’t break by means of. Regardless of the stress and three corners, Hingham allowed simply two pictures on purpose within the body to move into the half with a 1-0 lead.
“We knew how good they had been,” Petrie mentioned. “We practiced onerous. … We had been actually ready for (the problem) and we knew if we might hold powerful at first, and breaking by means of with that first purpose was large. And it simply actually allowed our confidence to construct.”
From there, Hingham managed a lot of the momentum.
Libby Baxter powered in a 2-0 lead on a quick break halfway by means of the third quarter. Hingham maintained stress upfield, which Bulldogs defenders did effectively to carry off for a two-goal deficit coming into the fourth.
However a miscue on a ship from effectively exterior the circle left a free ball simply sitting across the stroke line off goalie Shealyn Murphy’s (5 saves) pads, and Patten crashed on it to increase the result in 3-0. Ella O’Neill added one other purpose with 4:04 left, following her personal rebound in entrance.
Lane scored on a nook for Canton within the last two minutes, however there wasn’t sufficient time to stage a comeback.
