Notre Dame takes a break, then rolls on
Notre Dame (Hingham) coach Meredith Frank McGinnis sensed her team needed a quick break with about four minutes left in the first half.
The Cougars had lost momentum as their threegoal lead evaporated and they were back to square one, tied against No. 8 Westwood.
The top-seeded Cougars used the timeout to refuel and ran off six straight goals, including three to end the first half, to help take down the Wolverines, 15-9, in yesterday’s Division1 South quarterfinal.
“It’s really rewarding to go out there and we can finish the (half),” said Notre Dame captain Madison Burrill as her team advances to the semifinals against Braintree. “We can really do anything for four minutes if you put your mind to it. So, just going out there and giving it your all for the last four minutes, it was big.”
A tally from Fiona McGowan pulled Westwood (14-8) even before the Cougars (21-1) went on their pivotal spurt. Blakeslee Kitchin scored through contact to start things before Ellie Hilsabeck deposited a shot a minute later. Playing a man-down in the final minute of the half, Kelsey Kenney intercepted a pass and scored for a 9-6 lead at the half.
Notre Dame didn’t let up to begin the second half with free-position goals from Madison Ahern and Kenney before Kenney scored for a 12-6 lead with 18:08 to play.
“We came up with a few exciting plays,” McGinnis said.
Westwood ended NDA’s run with a goal from Lauren Witherell, but Cara Charette responded with two goals 18 seconds apart.
And even with Coughlin’s injury and Ahern being faceguarded, NDA’s offense still clicked with Ahern, Kenney and Charette netting three goals each.
In other girls games, Caitlin Chicoski scored the game-winning goal with eight minutes left as No.2 Wellesley (19-3) advanced to the Div. 1 South semifinals with a 9-6 win over No. 7 Needham . . . Megan Shay broke a deadlock with less than four minutes remaining to key No. 6 Old Rochester (21-1) to a 14-13 win over No. 3 Duxbury.
Emily Oliver scored eight goals and No. 3 Agawam (14-3) cruised to a 15-5 win over No. 6 Grafton in a Div. 1 Central West quarterfinal.
Boys
In a Div. 2 North quarterfinal, Jack Geiger buried five goals, and Colin Comeford added four, as No. 4 Reading (12-7) knocked off No. 5 Marblehead, 14-6. ... Justin Guinane finished with 15 saves, leading No. 2 Billerica (16-5) to a 7-4 victory over No. 7 Wakefield.
Ryan Hill scored four goals and teammate Jake Quilty added a hat trick as No. 1 Hingham (21-1) cruised to a 18-3 win over No. 8 Natick in a Div. 1 South quarterfinal contest.
In the Div. 2 semifinals, Dave Murray netted four goals, as No. 2 Scituate (146) rolled, 14-4, over No.10 Dartmouth.