West Canaan
But with the game so close and Winnisquam pressing the Royals defense, Hammond couldn’t risk it. It turned out to be the right move, as Mascoma held on to a 2-1 victory, snapping a three game winless streak and a 13-day goalless drought.
“The team that was playing in the first half was the team they’ve been playing like all year long,” Hammond said. “At halftime, we were saying like, ‘Ladies, you’re finally back. Here’s the team we’ve been coaching all year long.’ ”
Kaitlyn Pushee and Elizabeth Jones netted the Royals’ goals in the first half, sparking confidence in Mascoma’s offense not seen from Hammond since her team’s 1-1 tie with Monadnock on Sept. 20. The Royals were outscored 4-0 in the next three games. Wednesday’s 1-0 home loss to Franklin, in which the Royals fired 16 shots on goal, forced Hammond to use Thursday’s entire practice to concentrate on goal scoring.
“It was like we were playing down to their level,” Hammond said of her team’s loss to Franklin. “They didn’t play like we knew they could.”
The offensive focus worked, as Mascoma’s offense took advantage of its early opportunities. Pushee finished off a corner with a sailing shot into the top right corner of the net to shake off the offensive cobwebs. Jones added the insurance goal with 49 seconds remaining in the half.
“The past few games, it seemed like they would get into a slump and they would kind of settle,” Hammond said. “This time, I don’t know if it was the momentum of senior day or what, but it seemed like they were really determined and willing to work.
“Once we got that first one, it was almost like, ‘Oh yeah, we do know what this feels like.’ ”
Winnisquam answered with a push of its own just after halftime, scoring a goal out of five corners and six shots in the final 40 minutes. Mascoma, up by only a goal with the clock ticking down, resorted to a more defensive formation and placed two defenders in the net to assist Royals goalkeeper Abigail Duhaime.
Friday’s game was representative of what Hammond and the Royals have been able to accomplish this season. Hammond, in her third year at the helm, has led her team to a 6-5-1 record in NHIAA Division III after two seasons well below .500. The offense, led by Pushee, Katie Ferland and Justine Martin, has scored 22 goals, while the defensive unit, including Layla Meveagaci and Haley Bissonnette, has held strong.
More importantly, Mascoma was able to replace its star goaltender from a year ago, Kestin Bunnell, with sophomore Duhaime, who recorded six saves in Friday’s victory.
“I’ve coached for five years now and this is the most successful the varsity has been,” Hammond said. “We’ve had a lot of firsts this season. We had never beaten Berlin, we beat them in overtime (1-0 on Sept. 17). We’ve gone into four overtimes. … There are a lot of firsts, it’s real exciting to see.”
The Royals finish their season with road games against Stevens, (Oct. 12) and Kearsarge (Oct. 14). It’s been a while since Mascoma has featured such a balanced, cohesive unit, Hammond said. A few years ago, a late-game onslaught like the one on Friday would have more than likely resulted in a collapse. But Mascoma has found its resiliency.
“We’re not a team that has one superstar,” she said. “This group tries to pull each other up. In the past, they may not have been that supportive of each other. It’s been really nice to see.”
Josh Weinreb can be reached at jweinreb@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.