Up to this point, the Belmont High School field hockey team has taken care of business as expected. Saturday, the Marauders have a chance to break through for an upset in the program’s first state quarterfinals appearance since 2015.
The fifth-ranked Marauders (18-2-0) play fourth-ranked Andover (17-2-1) at Lovely Field in Andover on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. for a spot in the MIAA Division I Final Four.
“I think everybody’s pretty motivated, and we’re definitely looking forward to a good game this weekend,” senior captain and forward Ryan Brodigan said. “Everyone’s been optimistic throughout the season and working hard, which has been a big part of our success.”
Riding a 16-match win streak after a 2-2 start, Belmont topped Barnstable and 12th-ranked Natick by a combined 7-0 in the team’s first two playoff matches. Andover won its first two playoff contests by a combined score of 5-1.
The teams did not play each other in the regular season. They shared no common opponents in the regular season, meaning the matchup between the Middlesex League champion Belmont and Merrimack Valley Conference winner Andover is a blank slate. Ana Hopkins, another senior captain and defender, admitted the team is a little nervous because of that. The key is playing confidently, as they’ve done every game during the win streak.
“We’re going into it like we have nothing to lose,” Hopkins said. “Having an underdog mentality seems kind of unnecessary to me because I know our team is super strong.”
Belmont will go as far as junior midfielder Mackenzie Clarke will take them. The team’s “quarterback,” as coach Jess Smith calls her, and University of Connecticut commit boasts 39 goals and 20 assists. A deep group of complementary pieces, including 12 different goal scorers, play key roles all over the field. Freshman Zoe Bruce has impressed with her poise in the cage. Smith wants to see her forwards find the back of the cage.
“If you’re going to be a team in the semifinals, you can’t just rely on one to two players,” Smith said. “You have to be dispersing the scoring through a lot of people.”
Smith has watched a handful of Andover’s most recent games. On a six-match win streak of its own, Andover advanced to the state quarterfinals off a goal from senior Vivian Aloi in a 1-0 win over Beverly. Senior Bella DiFiore, a Saint Anselm commit, and junior Ella Sewall have also collected goals during the tournament, including a pair from DiFiore in an opening round 4-1 win over Shrewsbury. They make their mark on penalty corner execution.
“They’re a very good, athletic team,” Smith said. “They all play hard and are dangerous in the circle and can score a lot of goals.”
To advance to the Final Four, Brodigan said her team needs to keep their stick skills sharp and not lose the momentum they’re carrying.
“We know Andover’s a really good team and a tough one to beat,” Brodigan said. “I know it’ll be a good game, and I think we’re a pretty equal match.”
