Published in the September 28, 2016 edition
SOPHOMORE Ashley Barrett (1) challenges Hornet opponent Olivia Esposito (11) for control of the ball. Barrett scored two goals in Lynnfield’s 6-0 shutout over their rivals Sept. 21. (John Friberg Photo)
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
LYNNFIELD — The strength of the undefeated Pioneers field hockey team was on full display this past week as the team has now shut out its fourth consecutive opponent.
Now 6-0-1, the Lady Pioneers’ offense exploded, scoring 13 goals in just two days with a 6-0 shutout of North Reading last Wednesday and a 7-0 shutout of Rockport last Thursday. The team wrapped up the scoring spree for the week with a 1-0 shutout over Hamilton-Wenham on Monday.
FRESHMAN Carolyn Garofoli (to right of goalpost in white) scored the fifth goal in Lynnfield’s 7-0 shutout over Rockport at home last Thursday. (Maria Terris Photo)
The last time an opponent scored on the Pioneers was in the team’s 1-1 tie against Masconomet on Sept. 14.
Lynnfield head coach Mamie Reardon is over the moon with the way this team has come together over the past few weeks, noting that once the girls get the confidence and the momentum that comes from scoring goals, it just flows. “It’s good for them to get that feeling of scoring because once you get that feeling of ‘I can do it,’ it seems to take off,” she said.
Reardon said the first goal was scored with 12:26 remaining in the first half. “I had two double scorers against North Reading. Kathleen Hamm scored the first two goals. She was assisted by Lilli Patterson on the first one and Jaylin Grabau assisted on the other.” Patterson scored two goals as well.
She said Hamm’s goal was beautiful. “It was a tomahawk, a reverse stick on the left side and she pounded it in,” Reardon said. Six minutes later, Hamm scored her second goal.
Sophomore Ashley Barrett closed out the first half scoring to cement a 3-0 lead for the Pioneers on a picture perfect goal Reardon described as “amazing.”
“With 3:12 left in the first half, she dribbled from the 40, down the sideline, down the end line, came around and put it in. It was pretty impressive,” Reardon.
In the second half, captain Lilli Patterson scored two unassisted goals to increase Lynnfield’s lead to 5-0.
SENIOR captain Lilli Patterson (dark jersey) passes the ball through the legs of an advancing North Reading opponent. Patterson scored two goals in the 6-0 shutout and followed up with two goals the next day in a 7-0 shutout over Rockport. (John Friberg Photo)
“Lauren Bockoff scored the final goal, assisted by Jillian Zahar,” she said. Both players are seniors.
Reardon played a full slate of 21 players in both the North Reading and Rockport games, she said.
Dominate Rockport
Returning home on Thursday to face Rockport, the scoring was opened by Ashley Barrett, unassisted, at 14:21 into the first half of the game.
Senior Elise Murphy scored the team’s second goal with 12:21 remaining on the clock in the first half. Less than 8:30 minutes later, Lilli Patterson scored an unassisted goal to make it 3-0 at the half.
Freshman Lily Rothwell scored 21:14 into the second half of the game and was unassisted.
Another freshman, Carolyn Garofoli, tallied the next goal to give the Pioneers a 5-0 lead. She was assisted by senior Rachel Strout, who plays right inner.
Patterson got on the scoreboard again, assisted by fellow captain Jaylin Grabau, to make it 6-0.
Grabau closed out the scoring with an unassisted goal with 5:24 remaining the clock.
Hold off Generals
Hitting the road Monday afternoon, the Pioneers found entirely different playing conditions on the natural turf field at Hamilton-Wenham.
“We dominated 95 percent to 98 percent of the game but we couldn’t put the ball past the goalkeeper,” Reardon said. “We needed to find ways to get around them and we could not do that. We were not taking the quick shot and we were holding onto the ball a little too long.”
The Generals had both a good goalkeeper and a good defense on its side, she said. Finally with just 9:06 remaining in the game and after Lynnfield had taken two corners, Reardon called a timeout to regroup.
“Lilli (Patterson) stopped it. The girl came out on Lilli and she dump passed to Jaylin (Grabau) and Jaylin just hit it right in the corner. They put pressure on us the last nine and we held them off,” she said.
Up next
They play a non-league game at Beverly on Thursday, Sept. 29 and return home Friday, Sept. 30 to face Amesbury. Both games start at 3:45 p.m.
