Belmont High School’s field hockey team dominated the regular season. The Marauders outscored the opposition by nearly 70 goals, allowed less than half a goal per game, and never let an opponent put up more than one on the scoreboard.
Now, the pressure is on.
Seeded No. 3 in the MIAA Division I Tournament, field hockey (16-1-1) leads a group of four Belmont High School teams headed to the state tournament. They’ll face No. 30 Lowell (10-3-2) at Harris Field on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
“Maintaining team energy is so important,” senior captain Natalie Merrow said. “No matter how stressful games can get, knowing we can count on each other is something our team’s always been great at. We are peers and friends first. Remembering anything can happen and going into each game without any assumptions of how it can go.”
After falling in the Elite Eight round of the tournament each of the past two years, they’re looking to reverse the “Elite Eight Curse” that some team members feel stretches into other sports they play.
The Marauders started the season with a 2-1 road win at Watertown, the program’s first against the powerhouse rivals since 2007. Belmont’s lone tie was a scoreless home game against reigning Division 1 state champion Walpole midway through the year. Though Watertown topped Belmont later in the regular season, the Marauders closed with three-straight wins.
“We’ve had this amazing season,” coach Jess Smith said. “I want to prove we deserve the three seed and make it to the Final Four. I know [players] want to win, and I think they have high hopes that they are going to win. They’ve got the pieces put together.”
On the year, Belmont outscored opponents 75-7. No opponents tallied multiple goals in a game on junior goalkeeper Zoe Bruce, who saved more than 86% of the shots she faced.
Junior Kendall Regan led Belmont with 13 goals. Senior stars Elsie Lakin-Schultz and Gigi Mastrangelo scored 12 goals apiece. Lakin-Schultz added 13 assists and Mastrangelo tallied 12.
Junior Mia Smith (3 goals, 8 assists), sophomore Amelia Long (7 goals, 1 assist), and freshman Reagan Moulis (6 goals, 5 assists) provided additional offensive firepower.
With multiple home games ahead, Belmont is ready to get going.
“It’s just awesome to play on our home field where we practice all the time,” Merrow said. We just bring a certain type of energy. Being on our home turf, it’s on our time.”
Girls Volleyball (14-6) is the No. 19 seed and travels to No. 14 Shrewsbury (14-6) in the opening round on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Junior opposite hitter Danbi Kim led the Marauders with 129 kills and ranked second on the roster with 141 digs. Senior libero Layla Cadet paced Belmont with 152 digs. Sophomore setter Sophie Wang had a team-high 208 assists, and senior setter Yekaterina Polina flashed her all-around skills with a team-best 46 service aces and top-three marks on the team in blocks, assists, and kills. Senior outside hitter Leelee Kozelian paced Belmont with 22 blocks.
Girls Soccer (12-5-1) started the season with six-straight wins, but ran into adversity midway through the season. A 1-0 home loss to Bishop Feehan started a stretch of just two wins in six games, but Belmont closed the regular season with four consecutive wins.
Senior captain and midfielder Madhavi Ramadas tore the ACL in her right knee during that stretch in a win over Wilmington. She’s out for the year.
Junior Cassie Greiner (11 goals, 18 assists) and sophomore Clara Sciandra (11 goals, 6 assists) lead Belmont in scoring. Junior Zoe Merion (7 goals, 4 assists), sophomore defender Elsa DuBois and senior center back Elizabeth Schreiner also impressed during the regular season. Senior goalkeeper Martha Dimas posted 10 shutouts.
Boys Soccer (11-4-3) started the season similarly to the girls, with seven wins and two ties before suffering its first loss to Concord-Carlisle in early October. The Marauders responded with three straight wins, but followed with three straight losses before a tie to close the regular season.
With 11 goals, junior Robert Hoerle led the Middlesex League in goals. Seniors Itai Golani (8 goals, 11 assists) and Yassin Abdelazim (5 goals, 3 assists) complemented Hoerle’s goal-scoring prowess. Senior Will Hugg is the goalie.
Editor’s Note: The soccer teams received their playoff seeding and matchups on Thursday. This article will be updated with the new information.
