Trojans head to lacrosse division semifinals after narrowly defeating Foxborough

The girls lacrosse players moved deeper into the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 3 playoffs this week after narrowly defeating the Foxborough Warriors 9-8 on Tuesday at Nashoba Regional. It was the Trojans toughest game of the season.

“This is what good lacrosse looks like,” declared veteran stats-keeper senior Kattie Iacomini as she watched the final moments of play.

For the Bromfield fans who crowded into Nashoba Regional’s bleachers on an 80-degree afternoon, those moments were nail-biters. As the two teams entered the final 15 minutes of play, Bromfield trailed by a single goal, 7-8, following a successful shot by Foxborough sophomore Val Beigel. Bromfield senior Julia Mara won the next draw control, her fourth of the day, and moved the ball up the field. Capitalizing on a pair of missed shots by senior Tallie Dutkewych, however, the Warriors regained possession and attacked. For the next six minutes, possession see-sawed between the two teams until Bromfield senior Annabel Ashe intercepted a shot in front of the Trojan net and Coach Maesa Phongsamouth called time out.

When the two teams returned to the field, Dutkewych scored, followed by Mara on an assist by Kristen Podgorni, putting Bromfield back in the lead, 9-8. Mara won the final draw control of the game, but with six minutes remaining, the battle for possession resumed as Foxborough fought to even the score. Finally, with just 54 seconds left, Bromfield goalie Peyton VanDorpe fought off a final Warrior shot on goal, saving Bromfield’s lead and sending the team on its way to the MIAA Division 3 semifinals.

Dutkewych was Bromfield’s top scorer Tuesday with four goals, followed by Mara with three, including the goal that won the game. Juniors Mya Waryas and Catherine Clotter scored one apiece.

Mara has been on fire this postseason, scoring 10 goals on Saturday against North Middlesex, and winning five of the team’s 12 draw controls against Foxborough on Tuesday. Coach Phomngsamouth described her recently as the team’s “secret weapon.”

Interviewed after the game, co-captains Dutkewych and VanDorpe had high praise for Foxborough. “They were a well put-together team, said Dutkewich. “We started the game with two face guards on goal because we knew their offense would be good. During the first 15 minutes of the second half, the Warriors held Bromfield scoreless, an unusually long interval for the team.

“Yeah, I think we came out really strong and used a lot of our speed in the beginning. I think we were kind of out of gas coming out into the second half,” said Dutkewych. “We’re usually a second half team. I think that we got a little comfortable with our lead.”

The team was plagued by turnovers—seven to Foxborough’s two—and was outplayed by the Warriors 16-7 when it came to recovering loose balls. But VanDorpe had six saves to Foxbororough’s three, and ensured the team’s win with her heart-stopping save at the end of the game.

Now the Trojans (20-1) must beat Medfield (18-3), the No. 2 seed in Division 3, if they are to make it to the finals for a second consecutive year. “We all want to be back at the state final where we were last year,” said VanDorpe in a postgame interview. “I mean, that’s our goal in the end: to be back where we were last year and hopefully win that title.”