WALPOLE — It’s not fairly a tiebreaker at this stage of the state event, however spherical 5 belongs to Walpole.
After assembly one another within the earlier 4 Div. 1 state finals, the place they traded repeat titles, the top-seeded Porkers (19-1-1) powered by means of a 5-0 Div. 1 state quarterfinal win over fellow perennial juggernaut No. 8 Andover on Saturday to return to the Last 4 for a fifth straight yr.
Walpole matches up with No. 5 Winchester within the Div. 1 state semifinals subsequent — additionally a rematch from final yr.
“I really feel like this was type of a unique feeling as a result of we often play them within the state championship,” stated senior Kendal Cusack. “However we nonetheless performed like we might often within the state championship. … We simply put every little thing on the market, proper from the beginning. Tried to place the ball at the back of the online early, and performed as a staff.”
Cusack (aim, help) scored the primary of three second-quarter targets the two-time defending state champions used to place the Golden Warriors (17-2-2) in a large gap by the half that they couldn’t rally from.
Senior Kate Schneider scored the opposite two targets, and senior Emily Hagan dished three assists regardless of a stellar exhibiting in internet from Andover junior Rayna Cozzaglio (12 saves).
For 20 seniors, beating their chief Div. 1 competitors over time of their last dwelling sport was “surreal.” For head coach Jen Quinn, although, it was simply significant to get the job executed in opposition to a program like Andover.
The final time the Golden Warriors have been denied the Last 4 was in 2018.
“Andover is a superb staff, and so they’re an important program,” Quinn stated. “It simply says one thing to beat a top quality staff. It simply says one thing about us, however it is also about them. They get actually far within the event each single yr.”
Andover did effectively to stave off the Porkers within the first quarter regardless of heavy offensive stress.
Cozzaglio notched three saves, whereas Shannon Paul and Molly Ulrich performed regular contained in the defensive 25 to maintain Walpole off the scoreboard. The Golden Warriors drew a nook for the potential to steal an early lead, and so they confirmed in opposition to Uxbridge within the common season (3-0 loss) a capability to load up on protection in the event that they executed on it.
However Walpole’s pace out of the cage, and all around the area, saved Andover off the scoreboard. And after quite a few journeys into the attacking 25, the Porkers lastly grabbed a 1-0 lead with 6:02 left within the half.
Hagan’s preliminary shot on a nook was deflected to the left wing, and Cusack bursted to the free ball to flick it in.
“I simply knew instantly I wanted to get it at the back of the online,” Cusack stated.
Momentum is commonly Walpole’s best weapon.
An excellent ship alongside the top line from Hagan was tipped up and in by Schneider simply 1:17 later, and Schneider tallied one other in the previous couple of minutes of the half for a 3-0 lead.
“The primary half, we have been on hearth, they performed so effectively,” Quinn stated. “They don’t ever need to cease. … We search for that tenacity and that by no means stop. And it was there right this moment.”
“All we need to do is simply maintain going, maintain going, maintain going,” Cusack added. “We’ve got a lot vitality. … We actually went for it.”
Andover restricted the stress within the third quarter by maintaining Walpole principally exterior of the circle, however struggled to advance into the attacking 25 for a rally. Avery Pitts, Ulrich, Paul and Caroline Vaughan every began breakouts into the assault, just for Grace Hagan, Ella Dacey and Nadia Michienzi to chop them off with clear tackles and robust sends again up area.
Andover completed with two pictures on aim and 4 corners.
Seniors Emily Dunn and Kaylee Walsh added the 2 different targets within the second half.
