Newfound field hockey caps undefeated season with D3 title win over Mascoma Valley
BEDFORD – Karri Peterson had a feeling about her Newfound High School field hockey squad.
After allowing just six goals all season, the top-seeded Bears headed into the title game against No. 10 Mascoma Valley without losing a game yet. The victory, a 2-0 defeat over Mascoma, sealed an undefeated campaign.
It might not be exactly what coach Peterson expected, but it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
“I’m not going to say I expected us to be undefeated,” said Peterson. “I said at the beginning we could be an undefeated team or go 7-7, because I knew we played seven tough teams. I said before the season started, this group is selling themselves short if they’re not sitting in the state title game.”
[For complete results from the field hockey tournament, go here.]
With the top seed in the tournament, it was no reason to feel the weight of expectation, as somehow Newfound was overlooked throughout the season.
“We had to prove a lot of people wrong,” said Peterson. “We weren’t picked to be in the state championship, we were picked as the third seed and be beat by Gilford. All season long, the girls felt they had something to prove. It motivated them more than anything else.”
The rain played a factor in Sunday afternoon’s win against a tough Royals squad and found a way to hold them down despite a late onslaught.
At the 21:45 mark, the Bears took an early 1-0 lead off the stick of senior Kylee MacDonald, an airborne shot destined for the back of the cage. It was the first of her two points of the day.
As the first half was coming to a close, Julianne Marchand was able to get a stick on MacDonald’s shot from the top of the circle, and suddenly the Bears led 2-0.
The scoring would stall from there, but not for a lack of chances. Newfound had a goal waved off, and late in the game, Mascoma also had a tally taken off the board.
Mascoma had advanced after upsetting a couple of good teams ranked ahead of the Royals. After getting past No. 7 Stevens in the first round, the Royals shut out No. 2 Pelham and defeated No. 3 Monadnock in the semifinals.
The Bears road was tough as well, but their dominance over every team they faced, especially defensively, had them slated for a spot in the final. They faced the Royals in the first game of the season and won, 3-0, but Peterson says that wasn’t an indication of how good the Royals are.
“I think it’s a whole team effort,” said Peterson. “We gave up two goals on defensive corners all season. The strength of our defensive unit with Hayleigh (LeTourneau) is great in the back with McKenzie Ryan to support her.”
After years of building up this group, finally, it was the Bears time.
“I think it was the leadership from our seven seniors,” said Peterson. “As freshmen, they lost in the first round, sophomores in the second, and juniors in the third. It’s like it’s their time now to finish it up.”
