Watertown Field Hockey Captures North Section Title

Watertown jumped to a 3-0 halftime lead, but the game was as close as it gets these days for the Raiders, who ultimately prevailed 5-2 over Manchester-Essex in the Div. 2 North Section Final. 

Junior Emily Loprete scored the first goal for the Raiders off a corner hit just five minutes into the game. Junior Rachel Campbell followed up four minutes later with the Raiders second when she and junior Allie Doggett had a break away.

Freshman Kourtney Kennedy put the Raiders up 3-0 when she took a ball and hit a shot that went off the goalie's stick, and then rolled up her shoulder pads and into the net.

Watertown head coach Eileen Donahue said the team played well from the start, but the Raiders face a tough opponent.

"I’m glad we came out intense and focused," Donahue said. "Even when we were up 3-0 it didn’t feel like that. Just felt like we had to work even harder."

Five minutes into the second half, Manchester-Essex senior Anna Heffernan scored to make it 3-1. 

The tally inspired the Raiders, said Doggett, one of the co-captains.

"It sucks when the other team scores a goal," Doggett said. "It makes us want to go even harder and score on them."

Loprete did just that four minutes after the Hornet's goal when she fired a goal in from more than 10-yards out. The Raiders got another two minutes later when Campbell scored her second from several yards away from goal. 

Manchester-Essex kept pressuring, and got a second goal with 15 minutes left. The game ended 5-2, and Watertown moves on to the Eastern Massachusetts final on Tuesday against Dover-Sherborn. 

The Raiders improve to 21-0, but gave up two goals in a game for the first time this season.

"We had a few blunders in the second half, and we need to fix those," Donahue said. "It’s a credit to Manchester for not giving up."