Tewksbury-Methuen edges out WA Girls’ Varsity Hockey
WA follows the puck down the ice.
January 18, 2020
On Friday, January 17 at 7 PM, students, parents, and fans filled the Groton School for the WA Girls’ Varsity Hockey game, against Tewksbury-Methuen. WA ultimately lost 4-3 in a close game filled with goals and turning tides.
The game began shortly after the WA band performed the national anthem, with juniors Meghan Mulhern and Kendall Donovan, sophomore Brittany Iverson, and freshman Anna Weaver out on the ice and junior Allie Kingsley in goal. WA began with a strong offense as Paper Planes by M.I.A. blasted in the background, contributing to the overall excitement in the atmosphere. With just under six minutes remaining in the first period, WA broke through the Tewksbury-Methuen defense with a goal by senior captain Jenn McLaughlin, assisted by Donovan.
Shortly after, Donovan received a two-minute penalty for tripping. However, the penalty had little impact on the team’s momentum, as sophomore forward Brittany Iverson scored once again, assisted by junior forward Val Crory. With only three minutes left in the period, the band and spectators cheered for WA, up with a 2-0 lead.
The second period turned the tide of the game completely, as Tewksbury-Methuen’s Jessica Driscoll scored her and the team’s first goal of the night on a breakaway with 12 minutes left in the second period. As Tewksbury-Methuen began to rebuild their confidence with the first goal, Driscoll scored another approximately six minutes later to equalize the score, 2-2. The neck and neck battle heightened the crowd’s interest, and audible gasps and cheers erupted when freshman Kylie Beers took a long shot on goal.
With the tensions building on both sides, the third period began with intense plays on both sides. WA’s Iverson, assisted by Mulhern, scored mere seconds into the period to give WA an edge up on Tewksbury-Methuen. A couple minutes after junior Maddie Hunt received a penalty for hooking, Tewksbury-Methuen’s Driscoll scored an equalizer once again, leaving the score 3-3 with just over seven minutes left in the third period.
A breakaway by Iverson proved fruitless; yet, it was representative of the intensity both teams showed in the final few minutes. Tewksbury-Methuen gained the upper hand with nearly two minutes left in the game when Driscoll scored yet again for her team. Now trailing by a goal, WA worked feverishly to keep the puck in the opposition’s half of the rink.
“Get it out of there,” a riled-up spectator shouted in support of Tewksbury-Methuen.
WA called a time-out with just over one minute left and re-emerged with a power play as a last-ditch effort to score. However, the WA girls were unsuccessful in their efforts, and the final score rested 4-3 to Tewksbury-Methuen.
The Grey Ghosts Girls’ Varsity Hockey team next will play Lincoln-Sudbury on 27 January at the Groton School.
