Duxbury rallies past Algonquin in D2 semifinal
FRAMINGHAM — In a matchup of the last Division 2 state champions, fifthseeded Algonquin and No. 1 Duxbury played a game that lived up to the hype, in their state semifinal showdown Saturday at Loring Arena.
In the end, defending champ Duxbury used a two-goal third period to pull away for a 3-1 victory as the Dragons punched their ticket to the title game March 17 at TD Garden. Algonquin, the 2022 Division 2 state champion, finished 16-7-1.
“They have to be proud of the accomplishments that we had,” Algonquin coach Tina Beauchemin said. “Nobody expected us to be where we were today. I told (the team) after the game to keep their heads up. My heart is breaking for them. Nobody ever wants to lose, but unfortunately, there’s got to be a winner, and there’s got to be a loser.”
Beauchemin also credited her team for battling through adversity, mainly stemming from a disproportionate amount of time the Titans had to spend short-handed Saturday.
“Unfortunately, there were a lot of penalties, and we were playing down pretty much the whole game,” Beauchemin said. “I wish we could have played more five-on-five hockey. They didn’t quit, though. We even had to kill a couple five-on-threes, which is pretty amazing against the number one team in the state.”
Algonquin struck first with a powerplay goal in the first period. Ariya Tice had the tally, pouncing on a loose puck off the side of the crease and converting to make it 1-0 Titans.
Duxbury tied it in the second period, also on the power play, off the stick of Maddie Greenwood.
That set the stage for a pivotal third period. Duxbury scored early on a shot from near the red line that got by Addy Cagan, who was sensational all game making 23 saves, many of them high-leverage.
“She’s been playing amazing,” Beauchemin said. “Sometimes it just happens. She feels awful, but the girls rallied around her because it’s a team sport. I know the poor goalie feels like it’s always on them, but it’s not. You’ve got to put the puck in the net in order to win, and we tried, but it wasn’t our day.”
Duxbury added another goal midway through the final period, and despite their best efforts, the Titans couldn’t score in the third.
“We had some opportunities, they’ve got a great goalie,” Beauchemin said. “We did what we’ve been trying to do all year, and they didn’t quit.”
Beauchemin said she was proud of how her co-op team jelled together, with players coming from Algonquin, Hudson, Nashoba Regional, Marlboro and Clinton.
“The chemistry is amazing in that locker room, and that’s impressive,” Beauchemin said. “Coming from six different schools, we were really able to rally together. We have a great culture.”
Beauchemin said the culture has led to the sustained success of the Titan program.
“We are very honest at the beginning with the way that we run our team,” Beauchemin said. “The girls know that, and they work hard at practice, and they love to win. They are in it to play together, and they really play for each other.
“That’s why I think they are so heartbroken because they all feel what each other feels.”