Field Hockey: Unbeaten Streak At Seven After 3-0 Win Over Wilmington

After the Belmont High School Field Hockey team was skunked by Reading, 5-0, on Sept. 17, Head Coach Jessica Smith told her players that they needed to begin working more as a team with better passing and more shots "because I know you don't want to feel this bad after a loss."

The team took Smith's word not just to heart, but also onto the field.

Since the Reading blanking nearly three weeks ago, the Marauders have only had good days in matches, going 6-0-1 in the past seven games as Belmont has risen to the top of the Middlesex League's Liberty Division. 

And on Friday, Oct. 4, forward Haley Sawyer's two goals in the second half supported senior defender's Kendal Brown's opening tally to rack up a 3-0 win over Wilmington High School. 

In a game that was spent mostly in the Wildcat's end of the field, Belmont's much improved passing and attack gave the Marauders several good chances at goal. 

"I'm psyched. I was nervous coming into this game because [Wilmington] played the top teams in really good battles. I knew defensively they were very good since they kept Watertown to two goals. I think the team's plays better when they worry about the teams they play. And its always great to win on a Friday," said Smith.

In a game that was spent mostly in the Wildcat's end of the field, Belmont's much improved passing and attack gave the Marauders several good chances at goal.

In the first ten minutes, Brown sent a rocket into the goal from distance to give Belmont the lead.

Then Sawyers scored her brace in the final 15 minutes of game, both from in close from the right-hand side of the goal.

"I threw [Sawyer] in the right wing and she missed her first chance and then said 'I'm sorry' at the time out and I told her if she kept her stick down, she'd score and she did twice," said Smith.

Smith also praised her defensive backs including Brown and Lauren Noonan.

"Olivia Castagno really stood out today. She had a cheering squad in the stands and that always help," she laughed.

"[Castgno] kept her stick down, confident and was delivering the ball to our midfielders which we had been working on," she said.

Belmont's next game is against Burlington on Tuesday at Harris Field at 6 p.m.