by John Osborn
The Newburyport Clippers managed to fend off Bromfield's dynamic midfielders to win the Division 2 girls' lacrosse state championship 7-6 this morning before a crowd of 380 at Boston University's Nickerson Field.
The game was hard-fought, with the two teams trading goals throughout the first half, but as the period ended, the Clippers had eked out a 7-6 lead, a score that remained unchanged for the rest of the game.
The second half of the matchup was a defensive battle. The double and triple coverage of Trojan midfielders Sophia Turchetta and Jackie Planchet prevented either from scoring. With five and one-half minutes left in the game Newburyport called time out. When play resumed, despite Bromfield's best efforts, the Clippers were able to run out the clock.
"No tears," Coach Dave Planchet told his players, as they gathered to receive their medals and trophy from MIAA officials. "They were one heck of a team."
Turchetta was the top scorer for Bromfield with five goals. Planchet scored the Trojans' final goal with 57 seconds remaining in the half. Goalie Julia Hoggins had another outstanding game with 8 saves.
After the game coach Planchet said he knew the match would be a "dogfight." When he watched a video of the Clippers before the game and observed their style of play, he said, "it was like looking in the mirror."