Charlie Breitrose
Freshman goalie Jonna Kennedy made 21 saves in Watertown/Belmont’s loss in the Div. 1 State Quarterfinals.
The Watertown/Belmont girls hockey team ran into a tough Austin Prep squad and the Maraiders fell in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Div. 1 tournament for the second straight year.
The two teams skated evenly and ended the first period of the game at Woburn’s O’Brien Arena tied 0-0. The fifth seeded Cougars (17-2-3) came out in the second and pressured fourth seeded Watertown/Belmont coop team.
Maraider freshman goalie Jonna Kennedy (in her second year after starting as an eighth grader) made several saves before Austin Prep’s Meghan Hanlon scored from point blank range on a pass from Kylie Currier with 12:23 left in the second period.
Charlie Breitrose
Senior Erin McLaughlin shoots against Austin Prep in the state quarterfinals at O’Brien Arena in Woburn.
The Maraiders kept survived another couple close calls, including a goal waved off because the net came off the posts and another saved off the line by Kennedy – who saved 21 of 23 Austin Prep shots. With 1:17 left in the second Madison Ricci found the back of the net on an unassisted goal to put Austin Prep up 2-0.
Watertown/Belmont did create their own chances, including hitting the cross bar with about 6 minutes left in the third period.
The Maraiders finished the season with a record of 19-4-1.
Charlie Breitrose
Watertown/Belmont sophomore forward Anna Alibrandi bring the puck up ice against Austin Prep.