Warriors beat Bishop Fenwick, Watertown
ABBY BOUDREAU has been a steady presence in net all season for the WMHS girls’ hockey team. The eighth grader shut down Bishop Fenwick during Wakefield’s 4-1 win on Sunday and followed that up on Tuesday by closing the door on Watertown in the 3rd period to help the Warriors hang on for a 3-2 victory. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
Published in the February 9, 2018 edition.
WATERTOWN — After their 6-6 tie against Burlington on Saturday, the Wakefield High girls’ hockey team knew that points were at a premium as time winds down on the 2017-18 regular season. The Warriors had 11 points heading into part two of a back-to-back as they met Bishop Fenwick at McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody on Sunday.
From the drop of the puck, Wakefield played like a team that would accept nothing short of a victory.
The Warriors got the first goal midway through the opening period off the stick of junior forward and leading scorer Brooke Lilley who now has 13 goals and 17 assists for a team-high 30 points.
Fenwick scored a power play goal to make it 1-1 after the 1st.
Staring down another penalty kill in the 2nd, the Warriors responded with a shorthanded goal from Caroline Lilley, the 7th of the season for the eighth grader.
Caroline’s classmate Abby Boudreau has been a steady presence all season for Wakefield and continued to hold strong in the second as the Warriors took a 2-1 lead into the final period.
Boudreau and the defense shut down the Crusaders again in the 3rd, and Wakefield buried two more goals to get out of Peabody with a 4-1 win. Caroline Lilley got her second shorthanded goal of the game and senior co-captain Vanessa Kaddaras got her 11th of the year to shut the door.
Edge Watertown, 3-2
Wakefield traveled to John Ryan Arena in Watertown to take on the Raiders in a huge Freedom tilt. Once again, the Warriors played for the win from the outset, and the defense carried over their solid play from the Fenwick game.
Towards the end of the 1st, senior co-captain Olivia Cameron netted her 6th of the year off an assist from Caroline Lilley. Wakefield killed a penalty and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The Raiders tied it in the 2nd but the Warriors came right back as sophomore forward Annabella Forziati scored her 7th of the season, assisted by sophomore forward Hope Melanson and Brooke Lilley.
Watertown scored their 2nd later in the period and after two, the score was locked up 2-2.
With the pressure at it’s highest, the Warriors would need everyone to step up in the 3rd, including the special teams. With 11 minutes to play, the Warriors got their chance on the power play and came through for a season-altering goal from Brooke Lilley, fittingly assisted by Caroline Lilley.
Then it was up to the defense.
Boudreau stepped up and made multiple saves and the defense led all season by the likes of senior co-captain Courtney Hill and sophomore Sarah Melanson, shut the water off on the Raiders and Wakefield held on for a 3-2 win and two massive points.
The Warriors (7-8-1) now have 15 points on the season and a D2 record of 4-4-1, meaning Wakefield can get in with a win over Wilmington tomorrow, 12 p.m. at Ristuccia Arena. The Warriors won the first meeting back on Dec. 26, 8-4.
Wakefield then closes the season against Melrose, Stoneham and Wayland/Weston. Melrose and Stoneham each won the first matchup this year and are the top two teams in the Freedom, while the Warriors beat Wayland/Weston 4-1 in the first game of the season.
If Wilmington beats Wakefield tomorrow, the Warriors can still get in with a win over Stoneham.
There is plenty to shake out, but these last two games prove that this tough group’s preseason goal of making the tournament is still their top priority, and still very much there for the taking.
