NORTHFIELD — With field hockey moving to 7-on-7 play this fall, offense was expected to pick up with the field spaced out more than ever before.
That could have been the case Wednesday, as both Athol and Pioneer had multiple chances to put the ball in the back of the cage. Instead, Red Raider goalie Sam Kenniff and Panther keeper Charlotte Kahler brought their top stuff to the field.
Both goalies made save after save to keep the game scoreless into the fourth quarter, but Athol’s Christa Cucchi prevented the shutout with under 10 minutes to play in the final frame. Sadey Lehtomaki broke through the Pioneer defense, lifting a pass to Cucchi in front of the net. With just Kahler to beat, Cucchi blasted a shot into the left corner of the goal to give the Red Raiders a 1-0 victory.
“We knew this was going to be the deciding game on who we play at the end (of the season),” Athol coach Emily Hall said. “We knew it would be competitive. Last year, both games were very close so we knew they were good competition. Both teams played really well today. Both teams were pressuring each other hard so it was a physical, competitive game. We were just lucky to be the ones to put it in the net.”
Kenniff finished with 14 saves while Kahler stopped 10 shots.
“Our goalie played awesome,” Panther coach Marty Mulvihill lauded of Kahler. “It was a goalie game on both sides. Our goalie made big saves, their goalie made big saves. They just had that breakaway. I told our team ‘Whoever makes the clean breakaway is going to be the one who scores the goal’ and unfortunately it wasn’t us.”
Hall was hoping her squad would take a step forward this season in the goal-scoring department. So far, she’s seen them play more aggressively, which resulted in a 4-1 win last week against Franklin Tech.
On Wednesday, her squad continued to put the ball on goal. Lilly Rathburn had a great chance to score in the first half, and Reily Polana had a few chances as well, but Kahler made great saves to prevent any scoring.
“The last few years, the toughest thing for us has been scoring,” Hall said. “We can get it in the circle but we couldn’t do anything with it. Finally, we’re finding our place there and shooting the ball. That’s been a thing for us; whenever you get the ball in the circle, get it off your stick.”
Lehtomaki was all over the field for Athol. Besides picking up the game-winning assist, she put continuous pressure on the Panther defense, setting up teammates and firing shots on goal.
“Sadey Lehtomaki had an awesome game,” Hall said. “Sadey is a natural athlete. She’s such a good player, she’s smart on the field and has a really hard hit. She’s dying to score.”
Though the Pioneer offense wasn’t able to finish, there were plenty of positives to take from the game. The Panthers were able to move the ball up and down the field, as Riley Thayer, Sofia Walker and Kelseigh Sargent all put good shots on net.
Mulvihill said he is seeing his team takes strides each time they’re out on the field.
“It was back and forth the whole way,” the first-year coach said. “It didn’t stay on one side of the field. Against the tougher teams, it hasn’t been that way. I have a really young team right now. We’re a work in progress. We’re building a program. Hopefully it will be a strong one. Our young girls have energy and I think that’s the big thing.”
Pioneer is back in action today, when it travels to play Frontier while Athol is set to return home Friday to tangle with Mohawk Trail.