HINGHAM — No. 8 Longmeadow struggled to play well in the third quarter during the regular season.
The Lancers’ struggles in the frame came to the forefront on Friday in the Division II state quarterfinals against three-time reigning state champion, No. 1 Notre Dame Academy.
The Cougars scored seven of the quarter’s eight goals, going on a run that put the game away, 16-6. Molly Henshon scored a team-high two goals for Longmeadow.
“We’ve struggled with third quarters the whole season,” Longmeadow coach Kelly Gallo said. “Putting together 60 minutes is something we strive for. You have to give it to (Notre Dame Academy). They’re a really talented program. The fact we came out and played a great first half is what we can hang our hat on. Really proud of these girls. The third quarter was our downfall. If we only could’ve held on to that momentum from the first half.”
Despite the tough second half, the Lancers grabbed the momentum firmly in the second quarter.
After giving up five-straight goals to the Cougars to open the game, Longmeadow found its footing in the second frame. Henshon scored the quarter’s first two goals to get the Lancers on the board. The first goal came off a spin dodge on the right win near the crease, while the second one came on a fast break after Henshon weaved through the middle of Notre Dame Academy’s defense.
Kerry Conway scored the next goal two minutes later after getting into the middle of the defense, closing the gap to two.
The Cougars’ Sadie Lopez responded with a goal, but the Lancers kept coming. Brinn Anderson cut into the middle, got a pass from behind the net and scored to make it 6-4, Cougars, going into halftime.
Within two goals to start the second half, the Lancers had the momentum and the game in its grasp, but then the three-time reigning champs went into overdrive.
Ani Woodard and Lopez each scored to open up the third quarter to build back more of a cushion for Notre Dame Academy. Longmeadow’s Sam Goodrich scored from a tight angle on the left wing near the crease to respond, but Notre Dame Academy’s success on the draw kept the ball away from the Lancers for the rest of the game.
Notre Dame Academy went on to score seven of the game’s next eight goals to seal the win.
“We turned the ball over a lot and got messy,” Goodrich said about the second half. “Draws were a big part too. I’m proud of everyone. They really tried their hardest today.”
This year was Gallo’s first as Longmeadow’s head coach. She was an assistant with the program up until three years ago, but returned to the program this spring.
During her final year as an assistant, she had this year’s seniors, Goodrich, Molly Hornyak and Nora Dinn, as players.
Going out with the group as seniors is a full circle moment.
“It was nice to bookend their careers with me being able to coach them,” Gallo said. “They brought such talent and hard work to this team. We will really miss them.”
The seniors on this year’s Longmeadow team saw the program go through a period of progression and growth, becoming an independent program in the last few years and continuing to be a regional power in Western Massachusetts.
It’s a program and culture they will miss.
“This program is so special to all of us,” Goodrich said. “We grew up in it. It’s a wonderful program. It did a lot for us. The girls are great and we always pushed each other.”
