WINDSOR — Woodstock freshman field hockey player Norah Harper picked a great time to score her first varsity goal.
Harper’s shot from the right side found the back left corner of the goal with just under eight minutes to play, enough to help the visiting Wasps stun previously unbeaten Windsor, 1-0, on Friday afternoon at MacLeay-Royce Field.
Windsor (6-1-1) controlled play for long stretches but couldn’t find the back of the cage against Woodstock goalie Maggie Parker (13 saves) and a swarming Wasps defense. The Yellowjackets outshot Woodstock, 13-4, and had 16 penalty corners to the Wasps’ six.
“It was a great game for us today,” Woodstock coach Wendy Wannop said. “We pulled together and played really well as a team. We played a lot of defense but really did a good job back there.”
Harper had just subbed into the game before scoring the game’s only goal with 7:28 left to play. Wannop praised the play of sweepers Sami and Mackenzie Yates, who both played a starring role along with Parker in keeping Windsor off the board.
Windsor coach Jody Wood praised the play of junior defender Cicely Harrington.
“It was a very exciting win for us,” Wannop added. “Hopefully, this will propel us into the second half of the season.”
Windsor (6-1-1) visits Springfield on Monday. The Wasps (3-4-1) are off until Wednesday’s visit to Brattleboro.
SOUTH ROYALTON — The Raptors erased an early Wildcats lead to improve to 5-3-0 on the season.
Grace Lafromboise put White River Valley in front with a goal in the 27th minute. The Wildcats held that lead until Sienna Carter’s goal for Rivendell in the 47th minute. Mikayla Stever then scored the game-winner in the 71st minute.
“I’m really proud of our girls. There wasn’t any panic or quit,” Rivendell coach Tim Goodwin said. “White River is a good team, they’re well coached and play with great sportsmanship. It was a fun game, up and down the field and both teams had really good chances.”
Kylie Taylor added an assist for the Raptors. Rivendell keeper Cora Day made 10 saves, including a diving save in the final minutes to prevent a game-tying goal by the Wildcats. Goodwin also praised freshman Ryleigh Butler for a strong game helping to control the middle of the field.
Both teams will be at home on Wednesday; Rivendell will host Green Mountain while White River Valley (4-4-0) hosts Bellows Falls.
PELHAM, N.H. — Pepper Joseph had a goal and two assists as the Marauders (8-0-0) dominated the Pythons in a tuneup for a clash of the unbeatens coming up on Wednesday.
Charlotte Johnson and Caroline Adams each had a goal and an assist. Sage McGinley-Smith, Casey McGuire and Riley Craft also had goals. Keeper Bella Bardales made one save to record the shutout.
Hanover now looks ahead to hosting Pembroke (8-0-0) on Wednesday.
WESTMINSTER, Vt. — The Phoenix (2-5-0) fell on the road and will look for a better result when Long Trail visits on Tuesday.
WOODSTOCK — With goalkeeper Stephen Bianchi tossing a three-save shutout behind an airtight defense, the Wasps (6-3-0) used the second half to pull away from the Slaters.
Parker Kuhnert and Harrison Morse both had two-goal games for Woodstock. Kuhnert staked the Wasps to a 1-0 halftime lead, finishing a Taylor Plourde feed. Morse struck twice in the first five minutes after the interval, with Blake Heston and Sam Mitchell providing service. Alex Smail and Kuhnert finished the assault with unassisted strikes to cap a four-goal second half for Woodstock.
The Wasps visit Leland & Gray on Tuesday.
SOUTH ROYALTON — Johnny Vogelien headed home a Zach Gould corner kick early in the second half to help the Raptors to a win under the lights at the Wildcats on Friday night.
The goal helped Rivendell improve to 8-1-0 while White River Valley drops to 2-5-0.
“White River Valley was a great host. They brought lights in; it was a really cool atmosphere,” Rivendell coach Kevin Brooker said. “It was a great night of soccer, both teams played really well.”
Rivendell goalkeeper Owen Mansur made 10 saves for the shutout.
The Wildcats will visit Otter Valley on Monday. Rivendell hits the road to face Twin Valley on Wednesday.
BRANDON, Vt. — A Nick Jones hat trick was more than enough to lead the Hurricanes (6-2-0) over the Otters.
“I’m really pleased with our response to a tough loss on Tuesday,” Hartford coach Kevin Guilbault said.
Andrew St. Martin added two goals for the Canes. Kaj Boeri, Tanner Bessette, Tarin Prior, Austin DeFelice and Nick Martin all had assists.
The Canes surrendered on one shot on goal against the Otters. Hartford had both Shane Miller and Mykel Fungi in net; Fungi made one save.
Next up for the Canes is homecoming matchup with Mill River under the lights on the Hartford High football field on Monday at 6 p.m.
FARMINGTON, N.H. — The host Tigers routed the visiting Tigers (1-7-1), handing Newport its seventh loss in its last eight contests.
Newport wraps up a four-game road trip with a visit to Fall Mountaon on Wednesday afternoon.
CLAREMONT — The Cardinals (3-1) had to rally from a two-touchdown deficit in the first quarter and another gap in the third quarter to hold off an NHIAA Division III upset bid from the Toppers (0-4).
Somersworth struck for a 12-0 lead before the Barnes Park contest was six minutes old. Stevens closed to within 12-7 by halftime and took its first lead in the third quarter only to have the visitors grab an 18-14 advantage late in the contest.
The Cards responsed with a touchdown with 1:15 to play for the victory. The Toppers nearly stole the contest on their final possession before fumbling deep in Stevens territory on the game’s final play.
Stevens visits Kearsarge-Mount Royal next Saturday night.
ST. ALBANS, Vt. — The Hurricanes couldn’t hold a 13-7 lead at halftime and lost to fall to 2-3 on the season.
The Bobwhites started in a flurry when C.J. McAllister took the first play from scrimmage for a 55-yard touchdown run. Hartford drove down the field 80 yards in the first quarter with Cole Shambo capping the drive with a rush to paydirt from eight yards. The Canes missed the ensuing extra point but then took the lead after an 8-yard touchdown run by Shae Bean in the second quarter to make it 13-7 at the half.
Hartford will host Burlington-South Burlington on Friday night for homecoming.
HANOVER — The Marauders were dominant, winning in straight sets (25-3, 25-10 and 25-5) over Manchester West.
Willa Parkins led the way with 12 aces and four blocks. Lucy Roback added three kills and a pair of blocks. Claire Adner had five kills and four aces. The team combined for a program-record 32 aces in the romp over the Blue Knights.
The victory ended a four-match losing streak for Hanover (2-5), which hosts Souhegan on Monday.
MONTPELIER — The Eagles had a strong performance serving in a straight set win over Montpelier, winning by scores of 25-11, 25-12 and 25-10.
Delaney Gross had eight aces and Nyah Jenks added 11 assists. MVCS (4-3) visits Trinity Christian (Concord, N.H.) on Tuesday.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The Big Green were swept in singles play against Denver but won three of four doubles matches against Boston College on day one of the Bulldog Invitational.
Nina Paripovic lost a tight match in singles play, falling to Britt Pursell, 4-6, 6-7 (3).
Nicole Conrad and Ashley Hess then got the first Dartmouth win of the day in doubles against BC, 7-5. The pairings of Paripovic/Chidimma Okpara (6-4) and Allison McCann/Jennifer Gadalov (6-3) also won in doubles.
Dartmouth is back in action on Saturday for day two of the event.