Nashua, n.h.
“It’s just one of those games were you kind of control the game, but you can’t quite finish it off,” Bow coach Jay Vogt said. “We usually find a way. Today, credit to Hanover, they kept us out of the net, and they had one opportunity and took advantage of it.”
The top-ranked, defending champion Falcons (15-2-1) held significant advantages in possession, shots (17-7) and shots on net (8-1). But like Vogt said, the No. 5 Marauders (14-3-2) made the most of their one shot on net, so now they will meet No. 6 Milford in the championship.
Hanover’s lone goal came 6:08 into the second half when a loose ball in the box bounced to the feet of Hanover’s Pepper Joseph. The Bow defense was scrambled after stopping Hanover’s initial attack, so Joseph just had to stay calm and finish, and she did just that.
“In a game like this, plans don’t always come true,” Hanover coach Doug Kennedy said. “It’s frantic sometimes.”
It’s no surprise the game was close. Bow needed a last-second goal to beat the Marauders, 2-1, during the regular season. And when these two met in last year’s semifinals the game went to penalty kicks.
“Bow has beaten us four times in a row, all tight games. So this is big, it’s huge for me and for these guys as well; they’ve all lived through it,” said Kennedy, who shared a good-natured moment with Vogt in the postgame handshake line. “(Vogt) is a great guy, and we’re just great rivals. We love playing each other; it’s a good game. One of us has to walk away unhappy, but he’s a good guy and a good friend and they’re a great team.”
Bow grabbed control of the game early and started applying immediate pressure. In the 10th minute, Amanda Marshall, who was threatening all night on the Stellos turf, played a nice ball into the box to Miah Munro. A Hanover defender knocked Munro over from behind, but no call was made.
The Falcons stayed on the front foot for most of the first half, but the Hanover back line of Abigail Wilson, Emma Tysinger, Ellison Stannard and Eva Schiffman never gave up a golden chance. Bow held a 7-4 shot advantage in the opening 40 minutes, but the majority of those shots came from distance.
“We just felt like we needed to get some shots on net,” Vogt said. “And their defense is pretty good locking things up, so we just thought we’d get something on and see what happens.”
After Joseph scored in the 47th minute, Bow’s pressure only intensified. Senior Lauren Goyette, one of the best players in D-II, was all over the ball in the Hanover end, working with Marshall and Munro, and it seemed like a goal was imminent, but the Marauders always did just enough to defend.
“We were on our heels a lot, but we stayed with it, and no matter what, we found a way to do it,” Kennedy said. “Whether it was Bella (Bardales) making a save or a defender making a last-second touch, we got there and we kept them away. Because after we scored, they were on us the rest of the way, let’s face it.”
Hanover did look dangerous on the counter with Charlotte Johnson, but the Bow back line of Megan Remick, Chloe Binder, Taylor Burnham and Kimberly Gosselin chased down every threat. They also did plenty to help in the Falcons’ search for a goal.
“They defended very well; we distributed out of the back, we passed through the middle, but we just didn’t finish today,” Vogt said.
Burnham took three free kicks in the second half that summed up the game for Bow. Each one was within striking distance, and each time the junior defender hit the ball it looked like it would sneak in under the crossbar, but each shot sailed just high.
“They were perfect … just couldn’t get one to go in,” Vogt said of Burnham’s kicks. “It’s just one of those games. But we played our best; things just didn’t work out for us.”