BUCKLAND — Sometimes an outstanding outing from a goalie can change the whole complexion of a game.
On Wednesday, the Frontier field hockey game outshot Mohawk 25-3, but Warrior goalie Kordaryl Kendall was on fire. The junior stopped multiple point blank attempts from the Red Hawks to keep Mohawk in the game for the entire 60 minutes.
The valiant effort saw Kendall stuff 22 shots to keep the game tied 2-2 going into the fourth quarter, but an Emily DeMaio goal early in the final quarter of play proved to be the difference, as Frontier came away with a 3-2 victory.
“It was very frustrating,” Red Hawk Devyn Prusak said. “We try not to shoot at his pads but it always end up going to their pads. It gets frustrating when we shoot it, then it hits their pads and comes out and we lose it to them. It gets very frustrating but I feel like we did what we needed to do.”
Frontier went into the half trailing 2-1, but responded quickly in the third quarter to even the score. DeMaio got the ball inside the circle and drove in and put a shot on goal that was rejected by Kendall, but Prusak was there to clean up the rebound and put it into the back of the cage to tie the game at two with 13:11 to play in the quarter.
Following a tough loss to Greenfield on Monday where the Red Hawks were unable to overcome a halftime deficit, they made it a point of emphasis to come out of the second half and find a way to get back in the game and not let Mohawk build on its lead.
“We wanted to score early and come out aggressive and with a lot of energy,” Frontier’s Alyson Barnes said. “That’s something we lacked when we played Greenfield and I think we executed it really well.”
The game-winning goal from DeMaio came off another rebound, as Rebecca Wallace-West’s shot was blocked but DeMaio found the loose ball and the circle and rifled it into the cage to take a 3-2 lead.
Being the last game of the season for Frontier, it dug deep and held on to the lead despite a few late runs from Mohawk.
“I think it was our mentality that helped us hang on,” Brooke Flanders said. “Being our last game, especially for us seniors, this game meant a lot to us. This whole season, we’re thankful to even have a season. Coming out strong, executing and being able to play were important to us, whether we won or lost.”
“We would have been grateful either way because we get to play and other schools aren’t,” Barnes added. “But this game feels like we finished what we started.”
Following a scoreless first quarter, both teams finally got their offense going in the closing minutes of the half.
With the Red Hawks keeping their offense pushed up the field, Warrior Hannah Gilbert saw an opportunity to make them pay for their aggressive style. The eighth grader took a ball on the left flank and used her speed to beat the Frontier defense up the field, resulting in a breakaway. Gilbert got in front of the cage and shot it past Red Hawk keeper Ella Flanders for the first goal of the game.
“Something we talk about a lot, especially with 7-vs-7, the opportunity rises,” Mohawk coach Taylor Shippee said. “I’m glad she was able to execute it. She used her speed to her advantage.”
Frontier responded just two minutes later, with Wallace-West driving inside the circle, drawing the Warrior defense to her before slipping a pass to DeMaio who put the ball home to tie the game at one.
In the closing seconds of the half, Mohawk took the lead on nearly the same play they scored on earlier. Gilbert once again used her speed to get behind the Red Hawk defense, driving down the left side and taking it to the middle of the circle. She then whistled a shot into the cage with five seconds left on the clock to put the Warriors up 2-1 going into the break.
In the second half, Frontier made sure to get back faster and not allow Gilbert to have another breakaway.
“As a team, we know once we get beat, we have to get back and recover as a team,” Prusak said. “It’s not individual. It’s a whole team effort. We all came together, we go together and got back as a team together.”
Franklin Tech 5, Mahar 2 — Eagles Lily Ross and Kaitlin Trudeau could not be stopped Wednesday in Turners.
Each scored a pair of goals while Emmy Thurston dished out three assists to lead Franklin Tech to a 5-2 victory over the Senators .
Kendra Campbell scored the final goal in the winning effort for the Eagles, with Lauren Ross picking up the assist. Trudeau also tallied an assist on Ross’ second goal.
Laura McGinnis scored both goals for Mahar, with Astha Bernard earning an assist on both goals.
Kyleigh Baleno made four saves in goal for Tech. Jasmine Vezina stopped five shots for the Senators, while Abby Henne made one save and Cadence Spencer stopped two shots.