Charlie Breitrose
Watertown co-captain Emily Loprete jumps in celebration after scoring the Raiders’ second goal in the state semifinal win over Dover-Sherborn.
Watertown has a spot in the state final – a familiar place for the Raiders who are on their way to their sixth straight MIAA Div. 2 field hockey state title bout.
In Tuesday afternoon’s state semifinal at Reading Memorial High School, Watertown (22-0) faced a field hockey foe which could move the ball upfield and create offensive pressure, but the result was the same as all the games this year – a shutout win for the Raiders.
“I’m extremely proud of them. They worked so hard out there and they stayed strong and stayed together,” said Watertown coach Eileen Donahue.
Dover-Sherborn (19-1-3), the same team Watertown faced in the 2013 state semifinal, had some chances to score early in the first half, but Watertown broke through with a goal about 15 minutes into the first half.
Senior Rachel Campbell scored on a pass from senior co-captain Allie Doggett on a corner play. Cambpell said the team did not relax after the first goal.
“It pushed us,” she said. “It made us want to get another one – work even harder than before.”
Charlie Breitrose
Watertown senior Rachel Campbell fights for the ball against Dover-Sherborn. Campbell scored the first goal in the state semifinal in Reading.
Three minutes later, the Raiders’s hard work paid off. This time it was Emily Loprete who scored from in close on a pass from junior Michaela Antonellis.
Watertown maintained the pressure in the second half and about 10 minutes into the half a shot hit the Dover-Sherborn post.
The Raiders tallied two unusual looking goals in the second half. First, a high ball was tipped by Doggett and it arced over the goalie into the net with 19 minutes left the second half. The referees awarded the goal after a brief discussion.
“They thought it was a high ball, but it turns out that it wasn’t,” Doggett said.
Ten minutes later Watertown fired two shots that were saved by the Dover-Sherborn goalie, who tried to fall on the ball, but the Raiders dug it out and sophomore Kourtney Kennedy passed it to freshman Sydney Poulin who knocked the ball in for the Raider’s fourth goal.
Watertown’s Mikayla Paone, left, and Sydney Poulin fight for the ball in front of the Dover-Sherborn goal in Tuesday’s state semifinal.
Despite the lopsided score, Watertown’s players said Dover-Sherborn was one of the toughest teams they played this year.
“They were good, very good,” Doggett said.
“They were very big. You try not to let them intimidate you,” Antonellis said.
Watertown will play in the Div. 2 State Final on Sunday, Nov. 16 at WPI in Worcester. The game will either be at noon or 2 p.m. The Raiders will face the winner of the Wednesday’s Auburn-Frontier game.