WINCHESTER – Motivation has been there all yr for the Winchester discipline hockey workforce to get again to the Div. 1 Last 4, and end with a special ending.
Tuesday evening’s 2-1 win over No. 12 Bishop Feehan within the Div. 1 second spherical introduced the fifth-seeded Pink and Black (17-3) one step nearer, overcoming a real problem.
Shamrocks goalie Emma Mitchell (26 saves) performed phenomenally and the protection challenged Winchester all sport in a low-scoring affair, regardless of permitting 13 corners. Junior midfielder Joyce Chen scored on one for a halftime lead, and sophomore ahead Ellie Drake belted an insurance coverage aim late in what proved the game-winner after Bishop Feehan answered with 1:28 left.
Winchester awaits the winner of Wednesday’s matchup between No. 4 Lincoln-Sudbury and No. 13 Attleboro within the state quarterfinal spherical. The Shamrocks (9-10-1) fought to the very finish.
“It was an incredible sport,” mentioned Pink and Black head coach Michelle White. “One of many issues was, it was a really bodily sport. I feel typically that may be detrimental to our attitudes. … One of many variations for us – they simply stayed within the sport and did the issues that needed to do. We had a ton of alternatives, and we continued to push.”
“We follow all of this every single day, and we’ve actually been going at all of it season,” added senior defender Madison Von Mering. “I’ve misplaced to Walpole twice within the playoffs now. I’m hungry to get previous (the Last 4), and I feel the seniors undoubtedly are too. … (The underclassmen) see how a lot we would like it, and I can inform all of them need it (too).”
Scoring was at a premium the entire manner, regardless of Winchester making use of what usually is an amazing quantity of offensive stress.
White gave Mitchell a shoutout postgame for her efficiency, whereas freshman Courtney Lawrence, senior Clare Latham and junior Alexa Logan every made signature performs.
Corners racked as much as 9 within the first half earlier than Winchester lastly potted one. Madelyn Rabinovich chased down a transparent try on the left wing, despatched it to Chen in entrance, and she or he reverse-scooped it into the web with 2:34 left within the half for a 1-0 lead.
Except for Chen’s aim, robust midfield play from Windfall commit Sam Gal, junior Stella DeChristoforo, Chen and Rabinovich anchored the lead – orchestrating a lot of the attacking stress whereas limiting harmful transitions.
Bishop Feehan nonetheless generated a number of promising threats in response working via 100-point scorer Jordi Higgins for a lot of of them. Winchester’s protection did properly to chop off lanes within the circle and maintain Higgins’ threats to the surface, and it didn’t permit multiple nook till the fourth quarter.
A type of threats got here within the second quarter, with Higgins firing a reverse chip off Isabella Bogovich (4 saves) that rolled in open house in entrance. Von Mering stepped as much as clear that rebound, and labored properly with Addison Aufiero and Elsie Katz to maintain the Shamrocks’ assault at bay.
“The forwards did their job,” Von Mering mentioned. “And I feel because the backs, each time (Bishop Feehan) got here down, we’re similar to, ‘We’ve acquired to do ours. They did theirs, we’ve acquired to maintain up our finish.’ (Aufiero and Katz) had some nice sticks, stopped the balls once we wanted them too.”
Drake, who did properly to attract a couple of corners and assist tempo the assault in quite a few threats, buried a drive off the again board for a 2-0 lead with 4:01 left to play.
“She is simply figuring it out,” White mentioned. “With that child, it’s like, one little change simply elevates her sport a lot. … She’s actually coming into her personal, I feel.”
Bishop Feehan responded by producing a couple of corners, and Ryann Logan tipped in a aim with 1:28 left to chop the deficit in half. The Shamrocks got here down the sector once more in an try to tie it, however Winchester held off the cost.
