In an exciting Saturday matinee, the Lasell community honored their senior field hockey players pre-game, before rolling over the Colby-Sawyer Chargers.
With 6:30 left in the first quarter, Laser goalie Courtney Tello made back-too-back saves which fed right into a Laser break but could not get the job done. After forcing several Charger turnovers, the Lasers found themselves with a good chance to score but the Chargers made two defensive stops to keep the game scoreless.
Lasers fight for a loose ball during Saturday's game vs Colby-Sawyer
Photo by Anthony Paradiso
With only a few minutes left in the quarter, midfielder Abbey Playle put on a show for the Laser fans in attendance as she swerved around three Charger defenders, ranging to the right of the Laser’s offensive circle, and hitting a backhanded shot that deflected into the bottom right corner of the goal. The Lasers took their 1-0 lead into the second quarter.
Coming out of the break, the Chargers started to find their groove but could not put the ball in the back of the net as Tello made two straight shin pad saves. Despite nearly letting up a goal, the Lasers made a quick run using the Chargers' missed opportunities as a chance to build momentum. Fifth-year forward Sheridan Blaha was able to cash in off a blocked shot from her teammate Lily Stark.
Now up 2-0, Lasell’s offense and defense found their rhythm, as the Lasers connected passes from their defensive circle to the Chargers' defensive circle. It was not long before Playle was able to slice through her opponents’ defense and score another goal off a tomahawk shot. Moments later, the Lasers got the ball right back and made the Chargers pay for their mistake, as Blaha scored her second goal of the half with the assist coming from Playle.
With less than a minute left in the half, the Chargers looked to get on the board one last time as they earned a corner with only 15 seconds remaining. Following a glove save by Tello, the Chargers saw their window open and did not miss. As the clock read 0.5 seconds, the ball found the bottom right corner of the goal, cutting the Laser lead to 3-1.
Entering the second half, the Lasers nearly scored as the ball just missed the stick of Stark.
Fortunately for the Lasers, they were able to instantly get the ball back, and with a Blaha screen in front of the goalie, Stark took a chance and let it loose. As the ball flew through the air it tipped off Blaha’s stick giving her a hat trick and a 5-1 Lasell lead.
After the game, Head Coach Jess Paulin expressed her excitement for Blaha, who she described as a leader on the field.
“She is the one that the team looks to when we’re feeling a little tired,” said Paulin. “She’ll just keep going. She always comes through with the clutch goals.”
During the fourth quarter, the Lasers’ defense showed its physicality and down the stretch, Tello put the icing on the cake with two incredible saves. The highlight of senior day, however, was the first career goal for senior defender Maddie Sewade who scored after the ball ricocheted off both a Laser and Charger stick, and she was there to punch it in.
“She had a goal in our last game and it was beautiful, [but] the ref called it back,” stated Paulin. “It was a revenge goal for her.”
Paulin added that aside from it being a special moment for Sewade, finishing near the posts was something the team had been working on, so as a coach, it was “awesome to see.”
With the 6-1 win, the Lasers stay undefeated, moving to 11-0 on the season. Next Tuesday, the team will travel to Anna Maria for a 6 p.m. start.
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