WOODSTOCK — Woodstock High field hockey coach Wendy Wannop had a brief show-and-tell session for her team prior to Friday afternoon’s VPA Division II quarterfinal game.
She held up the T-shirt from the program’s last state title back in 2007.
The history lesson seemed to work as the fourth-seeded Wasps defeated No. 5 St. Johnsbury Academy, 2-0, at Yvonne M. Frates Field. Norah Harper and Lily Gubbins each tallied scores for the Wasps, who overwhelmed the visitors with a speedy offensive attack that moved the ball well in transition.
“It was my motivational item,” Wannop said with a laugh, referring to the title T.
The win moves Woodstock on to Tuesday’s semifinal round, a visit to top-seeded Mount Abraham.
“So excited to move to the semifinals, especially this year,” Wannop said. “The girls are so happy to be playing. It was so unsure if there would be any season, and then, we only get to play seven games. And everything’s up in the air.
“But yet, they’re happy. They’re with their friends and they just like to play field hockey.”
The Wasps’ first score of the afternoon summed up their offensive attack. With less than 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Lilia McCullough used her speed to sprint past multiple St. J defenders along the right sideline and thought about taking a shot, but instead got a pass off to Harper, who was standing in the middle of the circle.
Hilltopper goalie Maddie Hurlbert saw the play coming at her and tried to ready herself, but Harper’s shot was too quick. The score gave Woodstock a 1-0 advantage to close the first period.
“I just kind of flicked it in,” said Harper, who has scored three goals this season. “We were the only people down there and it was just wide open.”
The Wasps sealed their victory with 12 minutes, 40 seconds to play. Gubbins got her stick on a ricochet off of Hurlbert’s pad, which came from McCullough’s attempt to cross the ball over to her teammate.
Gubbins and Harper have combined for nine of Woodstock’s 16 goals this season.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call them the ‘pretty players,’ ” Wannop said of the sophomore duo. “But they are aggressive enough and their stick is so good that they stick on the ball. And they get the ball through.”
For as many times Woodstock (5-2-1) entered the St. J circle Friday afternoon, it couldn’t convert often. Both of their scores came on breakaways.
Woodstock finished the game with 16 penalty corner opportunities, seven of which came in the third quarter. Harper commented that the grass was wet, and the added slickness moved some entry passes faster than expected.
The Hilltoppers didn’t go down easy, however, as they scrambled to try to mount a comeback. Hurlbert was a stalwart in net for St. J (4-4), making 11 saves and forcing Woodstock to make some tough shots.
“She had a really great game today,” St. J coach Tara Bailey said. “She had some great clears, she’s been pretty solid back there for us all year. We just couldn’t quite put one away, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”
The last time the Wasps reached the D-II championship game was back in 2016, where they fell, 1-0, to Springfield. They reached the semifinals in 2018, but a season ago they were bested in a shootout at Hartford in the quarterfinals.
On Tuesday, the Wasps will try to move another step closer to that high-water mark set in 2007, and maybe get a T-shirt of their own.
“Happy to be back in the semis. I love it,” Wannop said.
NOTES: Woodstock goalie Audrey Emery had to make only three saves in the win. It’s the third shutout of the season for the Wasps. … The Woodstock team sang the national anthem and Wannop directed the performance. … Mt. Abraham defeated No. 8 Hartford, 2-1, to advance to the semifinals. … Wannop is in her 21st season and second stint with Woodstock, and the Wasps are 21-12-5 overall and 2-2 in the playoffs since Wannop returned in 2018.
Pete Nakos can be reached at pnakos@vnews.com.