ME Hornet, Grace Gerhardt, slides one by the Lunenburg goalie to score the only goal needed for the Hornets to move on to the MIAA Final Four.
Photo: Paul Clark
The Manchester Essex field hockey team was slated to face Cohasset on November 15 at Watertown High School (7 p.m.) in the Div. 4 Final Four. A win on Tuesday would propel the Hornets to the state final and a chance to earn the top spot overall in their division.
As they have been all season, this team will be up to the challenge.
“We know they are a strong team and play a very fast game,” ME field hockey coach Courtney Brown says of Cohasset. “I expect this game to be a battle, and we are so ready for it.”
The Hornets were certainly ready when they beat Lunenburg, 1-0, in the Div. 4 Elite Eight on Nov. 13. And when they defeated Blackstone Valley RVT by a 7-0 score on Nov. 9 in the Sweet 16. In fact, this is one of the most talented, best-prepared squads in the state, and the Hornets have proven it again and again, week after week. It was the case when the team went 12-3-3 and won the Cape Ann League Baker Division. It was the case early on in the tourney with a win over Northbridge in the opening round.
It was also the case against Blackstone Valley last Wednesday.
“Against BVT, we were solid all four quarters,” explains Brown. “It was one of our strongest games all year, and we were able to lead the entire game. BVT took a lot of shots from our offense. Ultimately, this was a team win where six different members of our team scored - we were so hungry in the circle. This made the difference.”
Caelie Patrick scored a pair of goals and captain Amy Vytopilova scored as well. Helaina Davis and Abby Kent were also singled out for their play in this one.
“They were both absolutely on fire in midfield,” Brown says of Patrick and Vytopilova, adding, “Helaina also has been involving herself offensively more, so she played really well in this game. Freshman Abby Kent used her reach and quick stick skills to work the ball in the circle. It was an awesome game.”
While the contest against Lunenburg was a much different story a few days later, the end result was still the same.
“We were much more evenly matched in our game against Lunenburg,” says Brown. “It was one goal that made the difference, and Grace Gerhardt nudged it right over the line for us. [The Lunenburg] game was won because of possession. Lunenburg worked incredibly hard, but ultimately, we were the team who took care of the ball most.”
Captain Hadley Levendusky and Ella Chafe were dominant when attempting to foil the Lunenburg attack at midfield.
“Hadley and Ella in the midfield cleaned up for us in this game and made it so Paige [Garlitz] barely had any shots in the second half of the game,” says Brown.
