LYNNFIELD —Big crowd. Cold weather. High stakes. Energy that was palpable.
It’s not quite playoff time just yet, but it felt that way Thursday night on the turf field at Lynnfield High, with the once-beaten hosts taking on unbeaten Masconomet in a non-league field hockey battle of North Shore powers.
Fittingly, the contest ended in a scoreless tie as the Chieftains and Pioneers battled from the first whistle to the final one, neither giving the other an inch.
“It really was a showcase of great hockey tonight,” said Lynnfield head coach Kerri Doherty. “With the speed and level of play, it looked like a college game out there.”
Masconomet (now 13-0-2), which came in averaging nearly five goals per game, had the advantage in shots on goal (7-5) and corners (7-2) while controlling play for the majority of the second half. But try as they might, the Chieftains weren’t able to knock a clean shot past Lynnfield’s backup goaltender, Bridget McGee.
“We’re trying to remind them to go back to the basics. We know what we can do offensively: little sends right in (towards the net), those make a difference,” said head coach Vanessa McGuire of focusing on getting shots on net. “Send it right on with everything you’ve got and make their goalie move.
“I really liked how we stepped up competitively,” she added. “We knew it was a big game and did a good job switching the field. We had to utilize those back passes to come back to space, creating openings for ourselves on the field.”
Sabrina Cafarelli, Masconomet’s senior goaltender, earned her 7 1/2th shutout of the season with her 5-save performance. Her two biggest came with about five-and-a-half minutes remaining when the Pioneers (now 11-1-3) were able to throw a long pass across her crease, forcing Cafarelli to move quickly and make a pair of back-to-back stops at the far post.
McGee, who has been playing recently with Lynnfield’s top keeper out with an injury, was also busy, particularly in turning aside chances off of Masconomet corners. She also caught a huge break when a Chieftains’ stroke in the fourth quarter hit the left post.
“Masconomet is a phenomenal contender; they’re No. 5 (in the Division 2 power rankings) for a reason, and No. 7 (Ava Gauvain, who has 27 goals this season), No. 8 (Mia Marques) and their goalie (Cafarelli) are all terrific players,” said Doherty, a former Lynnfield High player who went on to continue her career at Boston College. Like Masconomet in the Northeastern Conference, her Pioneers stand atop the Cape Ann League’s Kinney Division and have not lost in league play.
“For us to hold them scoreless and come up with a tie, it’s a game that felt more like a win. I couldn’t be happier with the way we played and how we were able to match their energy.”
Senior captain Savannah Stevens, junior Ella Mossey and senior Hannah Mitchell led a Masconomet defense that helped keep Lynnfield’s Holy Cross commit, the dangerous Lauren Matia, in check offensively.
“Ella has the lowest stick of any player in the Northeastern Conference if she can set it up and be ready to go when the ball comes,” said McGuire. “I’m really proud of the way she played. Up front I really liked how (senior forward) Sophia Carson was angry on the (goalie’s) pads, too. That was great to see.”
Masconomet is right back at it Friday at conference foe Marblehead, then meets Danvers on the road Wednesday before wrapping up the season against Gloucester next Friday on the Boxford turf field. That game against the Fishermen will likely determine the NEC champion; the two squads tied earlier this year, 2-2.