The No. 5 Lynnfield field hockey team (12-7) remained perfect in the division 4 state tournament, handing No. 12 Pioneer Valley (10-3-2) a 2-1 loss and advancing to the Elite 8.
Two home games, two wins. Lynnfield’s veteran players led the way, and the rest of the Pioneers followed in a fast-paced round of 16 matchup. Captain Julia Carbone shined for Lynnfield with a goal in the second quarter, on top of brilliant speed and physicality.
Lynnfield Head Coach Samantha Pindara praised Carbone and fellow upperclassmen in the win, saying teams only go as far as their seniors.
“It’s [veteran experience] super important,” Pindara said. “They know what it’s like to go far in this tournament.”
Early on, Lynnfield captain Ava Marotta made her presence felt on the defensive end, backing down defenders and moving the ball further and further away from Pioneer goalie Charlotte Radulski. Fellow senior Sofia Raffa intercepted the ball out of mid-air to keep possession in Lynnfield’s zone moments later, and a scoring chance followed as a result.
Neither goalies were tested in a first quarter featuring lots of turnovers and midfield play. The first quarter ended, 0-0, as fans continued to anxiously wait for the all-important first goal.
Carbone showed off her speed to start the second quarter, giving the Pioneers possession after racing through the neutral zone. Carbone recorded a steal on the next play.
Lynnfield struck first with 12:35 remaining in the second quarter. On a loose-ball sequence in front of the Panther net, a dribbling ball found Raffa who smacked it into the net to give Lynnfield the 1-0 lead.
The turf continued to tilt in Lynnfield’s favor with senior Lana Sutera nearly connecting on the doorstep following a Lynnfield free hit. The first seven minutes of the second quarter were all navy blue and white.
Raffa, again, caught eyes with a wonderful takeaway around midfield for Lynnfield, advancing towards her opponent in a one-on-one matchup before swiping the ball from her. Lynnfield controlled possession for the next minute of the game-clock.
Carbone dazzled to put Lynnfield ahead 2-0 with just 41 seconds remaining in the second quarter. She protected the ball and weaved through multiple defenders before tucking the ball past the goal line.
2-0 remained the halftime score.
The first seven minutes of the third quarter were quiet, but important for Lynnfield. Even though no possessions got close to the net, the Pioneers controlled the time of possession and kept their
two-goal advantage.
But with just over five minutes remaining in the third, the lead was cut in half. A
Pioneer Valley centering pass landed in front of Radulski who initially kicked things away, but a rebound beat her to make things 2-1.
“Play our own game, stay low, and control the ball. We’re still up by one, but one is never enough,” Pindara said.
Other than the Panther goal, things kept quiet in the third and the Pioneers were 15 minutes from the Elite 8.
Carbone’s speed continued to be a factor in the fourth, allowing her to catch up to lead passes and put pressure on Panthers looking to clear the ball from the defensive zone.
Corners were a problem for Lynnfield, however, with Pioneers struggling off the catch and turning the ball over.
The Panthers competed until the end, with each second becoming closer and closer to being their last. But in the end, the Pioneers were more aggressive and the clock ran out on Pioneer Valley. The final score favored Lynnfield, 2-1.
“Although Tahanto gave us a good game, we knew that this was potentially going to be an even better game,” Pindara said. “We had to make adjustments throughout the game, and we did that.”
