Rain arrived in time to shower the Bromfield girls while they defeated the third-place North Middlesex Patriots 20–7 in an away game Thursday, May 19.
North Middlesex, which was celebrating its senior day, was aching for a win. The teams scuffled off the draw and engaged in a drawn-out back-and-forth, with shots taken on both goals. After the North Middlesex goalie blocked shots from senior Sophia Turchetta and junior Meaghan Parlee, sophomore Chandler Farley netted Bromfield the first goal of the game.
However, the Patriots were not ready to let Bromfield set the tone of the game. North Middlesex shot five times, but goalie Emily Podgorni blocked each shot and caught the last one, allowing her to pass to Parlee, who passed to Turchetta, who scored.
Bromfield senior Kelsey L’Ecuyer looks for an open player to pass to in a previous game against Oakmont. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Bromfield then scored three more times in quick succession, winning the draw and putting the ball in net. With the chances of a senior day win diminishing, the Patriots called a timeout.
The Patriots came out of the timeout with a more aggressive spirit. Although they won the draw, their aggressive enthusiasm led to a foul, giving Bromfield the ball and seventh-grader Izzy Planchet a goal. However, North Middlesex won the draw again and, in a mad careen to goal, hip checked Turchetta and fired a hard shot that Podgorni blocked. Podgorni passed to Parlee, who scored.
Parlee won the next draw and charged to goal, leading a desperate North Middlesex player to try to forcibly stop her, which earned the Patriot a yellow card. Unfortunately, Bromfield then passed into a North Middlesex girl’s stick, allowing North Middlesex to take the ball down the field and score its first goal of the game.
The goal energized the Patriots, and the two teams traded shots for the rest of the half. Most shots were quick and clean. The half ended 13–5, just as Bromfield was about to shoot again.
Cut short by rain
Because of the ongoing heavy rain, the second half of the game was reduced to 15 minutes. Bromfield dominated the start of the second half, with more goals from Turchetta, Parlee, Planchet, and Farley, along with goals from junior Kaeli Armstrong and freshman Courtney Route.
North Middlesex closed out the game with the last two goals leaving the score 20–7 in Bromfield’s favor.
In an important matchup against a league opponent on May 12, Bromfield defeated Littleton 19–7 and celebrated its senior day. Graduating seniors Maddie Ragno, Lindsey Hoggins, Kelsey L’Ecuyer, Turchetta, and Sarah vandeVaart were recognized with posters, speeches, and baked goods.
With a 9–0 record, the Trojan girls remain first in the six-team Mid-Wach B league. The team played second-place Tyngsborough Wednesday, May 25, in its last league game of the season, and beat them 21–10.
Kate Selig is a Bromfield freshman.
