Belmont Girls' Hockey Ranked 7th after Lexington Win

What a week for Belmont High School Girls' Hockey.

Eight days ago, longtime Head Coach Mark Haley's team was unranked and facing the number one (Woburn) and sixth ranked (Lexington) teams in Eastern Massachusetts with undefeated Westwood sandwiched in-between.

A week later, Belmont (9-2-0) is now ranked seventh in the Boston Globe poll and lead the race for the Middlesex League, Big Schools crown, after dominating the Tanners (3-2) and Wolverines (4-0) and before beating a high-powered Minuteman team, 5-3, on a snowy Saturday afternoon, Jan. 21, at Belmont's Skip Viglirolo Skating Rink. 

"The girls were unbelievable," said Haley, now entering his third decade as the team's only head coach. 

Despite falling behind by a pair after less than four minutes of play, Belmont stuck to their game plan of passing and winning the 50/50 plays to the win.

For the second time in as many games, the third offensive line contributed for Belmont, this time with the winning goal at 8:40 in the third as senior center Shannon Reynolds (who was the goalie for the field hockey team) muscled in a goal from a scrum in front of Lexington's junior goaltender Amanda Charlton, getting assists from her line mates senior Yvonne Sciascia and freshman Erin McLaughlin.

"But it was the defense that won this one," Haley said.

Junior goaltender Megan Foley had another steady game especially when the Minutemen were on the power play, stopping three consecutive shots from in close early in the second period. And freshman defender Suzanne Noone broke up a two-on-one break in the second with Belmont holding a one-goal lead.

But it was the Minutemen (6-4-0) that struck first, scoring on two of their first three shots of the game. Defender Grace Doxsey came off her blue line position to drill a shot by Foley after only 31 seconds, getting assists from defense partner Robin Gross and senior Jackie Denning, who was a dominating force in the game.

Belmont was having early difficulty matching Lexington's pass-oriented attack – one of the best in the league – and soon fell behind by two via senior Carolyn Avery. 

While Belmont began picking up their own passing, they could not break through Lexington's five players playing deep inside the slot until Belmont's leading scorer Caroline McCarthy took a solo rush from her blue line and scored with five-and-a-half minutes to play in the period. 

Belmont would score early – after 33 seconds – and late – 1:56 remaining – through senior defender Becca Moore and McCarthy to up the Marauders' lead to two. Lexington would answer after a minute in the third period as senior captain Emily Wilson tipped in a blast from Denning (who hit the post seconds before from the blue line) while on a two-man power play.

But Belmont would soon have the run of play ending with Reynolds goal. Lexington did have a great opportunity with 49 seconds remaining as Belmont was called for a tripping penalty giving the Minutemen a two man advantage with the goal empty. But Belmont's junior forward Alexandra Cellucci finished off the scoring by first dumping the puck down the ice, stealing it and then scoring from an acute angle for the empty netter.