Murphy scores six goals in first two postseason games

Published November 6, 2019

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA — On Oct. 26, the Lynnfield High field hockey team won at Manchester-Essex 1-0 in the final game of the regular season. The two schools met again last Saturday in the quarterfinal round of the Division 2 North state tournament back at Manchester-Essex.

Just like the Oct. 26 game, the Pioneers won 1-0 at Hyland Field, on a sunny, cool day.

Maddie Murphy was the hero in this one scoring the lone tally of the afternoon with 1:34 left. The goal came off a corner that hit the post and went to a Hornet defender. Murphy then stole the ball and found the back of the net.

“It was similar to the game from the week before,” said Pioneers head coach Mamie Reardon. “We outplayed them in the first half but they outplayed us in the second half until we scored.”

MADDIE MURPHY followed up a five-goal performance during Lynnfield’s 7-2 win over Ipswich in round one by scoring the only goal of the game during the Pioneers’ clutch 1-0 win over CAL foe Manchester-Essex in the D2N quarterfinals. Lynnfield and Watertown will have a semifinal rematch on Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Burlington High. The Raiders beat the Pioneers 2-1 in double overtime in the semi’s last year. (Dan Pawlowski File Photo)

With that win, the 5th-seeded Pioneers improved to 14-4 while the 4th-seeded Hornets ended the season at 13-4-2.

Pioneer goalie Ava O’Brien made nine stops in net.

“She was fantastic,” stated Reardon.

In the first round game on Halloween, the Pioneers rolled over visiting Ipswich 7-2 as Lynnfield defeated the Tigers for the second time this season.

Murphy was the story in this game as well as the junior forward had a career-high five goals to go with two assists.

“She had the game of her life,” said Reardon.

This one was a rout early on as Lynnfield scored four times in the first 7:18.

Murphy score her first tally 1:24 in with Lily Rothwell assisting. A little over two minutes later she scored again this time assisted by Talia Bridgham.

Murphy had her hat trick about a minute later as Gabby Langone assisted.

With 22:42 left, Murphy scored her fourth tally again assisted by Langone.

Lynnfield then made it 5-0 as Murphy assisted on Kaminski’s goal with 5:51 remaining.

Ipswich got on the scoreboard a minute later when Ali Moulton scored with 4:56 left as the Pioneers went to halftime leading by four.

With 22:15 left in the second half, Murphy scored her final goal assisted by Bridgham and Carolyn Garofoli. That goal came on a corner.

Rothwell then got the final Pioneer tally with 17:05 remaining with Murphy assisting.

The Tigers scored the final goal of the afternoon with 1:15 left as Riley Daly found the back of the net.

O’Brien made nine saves in that game.

Lynnfield faces top-seeded Watertown on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Burlington High School in the semifinal round. The winner of that game will take on the winner of the Pentucket-Gloucester game in the North Final on Nov. 9 at Reading High School.