NEEDHAM – Walpole field hockey head trainer Jen Quinn believes the primary function of any sport is all the time the toughest, one thing of which her crew is aware of a little bit an excessive amount of about with some first-quarter scoring struggles up to now this 12 months.
Once the surging Porkers hit the again of the cage early towards Needham Wednesday afternoon, even though, offense simply gave the impression to kick into tools en path to a large Bay State Conference win at DeFazio Field.
Behind a couple of targets from Lindsey Jacobs and a dominant show of ownership, Walpole (12-1) overcame a stout Rockets (5-6-2) protection to overcome them 4-0 for the common season sweep. All 4 targets got here in the primary 1/2, together with 3 in the second one quarter because the Porkers used relentless force to seek out some cracks in an another way spectacular defensive appearing from the Rockets.
Those cracks incorporated 3 targets on nook performs, of which Walpole compelled 19 in all.
“That first goal is the hardest and it takes the longest to get, and then once you get that one, they all start to settle in,” Quinn stated. “(Needham) is good. They’re a good team, they’re athletic.”
Quinn doesn’t love to depend on nook targets for offense most often, particularly when a crew like Needham can successfully shield the play find it irresistible did Wednesday. Between a 10-0 first-half shot merit and the time of ownership disparity on Needham’s facet of the field, on the other hand, it gave the impression to paintings simply effective for the Porkers to get the win.
Jacobs scored either one of her targets on the put up on nook performs, giving Walpole a 1-0 lead with 3 mins left in the primary quarter ahead of doubling the margin early in the second one. The Porkers wouldn’t permit a lot of a reaction in the intervening time, paving the best way for large insurance coverage targets from Brigid Welch on a tip and Kerin Birch on a missile from the highest of the circle to construct a comfy lead through the wreck.
“We knew they were a good team, we just had to play the game we know how to play – play hard, play well, come out strong. That’s what we did,” Birch stated. “We have a lot of trouble scoring in the first quarter, usually. So to get one on the board before going into the second quarter, even going into the second half, especially against Needham … I think that was really good for us. A lot of corners, a lot of shots, a lot of opportunities. Getting one on the board early is great.”
Needham got here out higher in the second one 1/2, forcing a couple of photographs on internet and 3 corners as offense received a little bit little bit of steam. Walpole couldn’t get anything else previous second-half goalie Allie Curtis (six saves) the remainder of the best way, main the Rockets to a lot more of the aggressive play it began the sport with.
That defensive depth wouldn’t be sufficient for any comeback strive, even though, because the Walpole midfield persisted to defuse maximum of Needham’s transitions to deal with force at the assault.
With attractions set on probably getting again to a deep run in the Div. 1 playoffs subsequent month, that talent to catch fireplace on offense and dangle down a shutout win over a talented opponent like Needham resonates neatly with the crew transferring ahead.
“It’s good,” Quinn stated. “I think we’re on that upward trajectory and it’s not a bad thing. That’s my thing, you want them to peak October 31.”
“That was great,” Birch added. “Even seeing the difference between playing them now and when we played them three weeks ago, it’s fantastic. … I think a lot of us who were on the team last year are still snake-bitten about last year (losing in the state title game), so we’re coming to the tournament ready.”