Field Hockey: Early Exit as Marauders Fall in Tourney Opener to Lexington, 3-1

The rain waited until after the final horn sounded before coming down on the Belmont High School Field Hockey team; apropos to the result of the match that just took place.

After a wildly successful regular season that saw the Marauders walk off the field victorious 13 times, yesterday, Thursday, Oct. 31, would not be the 14th as Belmont fell to Middlesex League rivals Lexington High School, 3-1, in the team's first taste of Division 1 playoff action. 

The first-round loss was a quick exit for a team that Head Coach Jessie Smith was happy to manage.

"I am really proud how far you guys came this year," Smith said to her disheartened team post game.

"I really think that if you put in the energy some of these other teams do that next year you could be right here beating Acton-Boxborough [the Division 1 North tournament's top seed] next year in the finals," said Smith.

The game's first half was an up-and-down affair with both teams – meeting for the third time this season – seeking ways around tight defending in the midfield and in front of the goals. Lexington played close attention to Belmont freshman standout forward Annemarie Habelow.

"[Lexington] knew who [Habelow] is and put two players on her when ever she received the ball," said Smith.

"That's why you don't want to play the same team three times. There are no secrets," said Smith.

Lexington broke through two-thirds of the way into the first when senior attack Joslyn Battite tipped a shot from the Minuteman's outstanding midfielder and senior captain Fiona Fitzgerald which appeared to be going wide of Belmont's goalkeeper Kate Saylor, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead at half time.

Lexington began to dominate the midfield and pressed Belmont into their end of the pitch. That attacking tactic soon showed up on the scoreboard. Fitzgerald scored unassisted six minutes into the second half while junior attack Allie McNabb put the orange ball into Belmont's net from Pippa Offerhaus on Lexington's third penalty corner.

After calling a time out after the third Lexington goal, Smith said her team started playing a great deal better after some telling advice from her.

"In a league where you play weaker teams and then strong teams, some of our players think, 'Oh, I can dribble around five defenders' but that's not the case in the playoff. At 19 minutes and down three, they realized I knew what I was talking about when I wanted quick passes. It was then they started have great scoring chances," said Smith.

Stepping up for Belmont were the three consistently strong players this season; senior midfield Kendal Brown, junior mid Suzanne Noone and Habelow began generating offense through the middle of the field, turning around Lexington's defenders as they gave chase. Seniors Sydney Perkins and Michelle Hayner also put pressure on the wings. 

Continuing their assault despite the score and as time was running out, Belmont was rewarded by spoiling Lexington's shutout. After Habelow came close to scoring on one of her now familiar solo runs, the Marauders caught Lexington's junior goalie Zelda Bank out of the net. Belmont junior Haley Sawyer rapped the ball that slipped by a diving Bank where Habelow swept the loose ball into the net. 

After the game, Smith was upbeat about this year's teams exploits.

"At the start of the season, I had zero clue how we would do," said Smith.

"It's like the Red Sox [who won their third World Series the night before], chemistry plays a big part. And this team had that team chemistry and it made all the difference this year," said Smith.

And it's not too early for Smith, who played her college field hockey at Tufts, to begin thinking about next year. 

"I have such a young team that it's nice to know what I have to work with. There's a couple of junior varsity [players] who can step up so we are looking like a team to contend for the league title," she said, graduating only five seniors: Perkins, Brown, Hadner, Carla Doblin and Dylan Stroesser.

"But like I'm telling everyone, sports is no longer a one season thing. If you want to be really good in a sport, you have to put in that extra effort," including playing indoor field hockey in the winter and play for a club in the spring and summer. 

"That's what we have to do to raise our level especially since we are in Division 1," said Smith.