The Londonderry High field hockey squad was able to net three goals in each of its first two matches of the 2018 campaign last week. And in both cases three were enough for the locals to claim victory.
Coach Nichole Treadway saw her Lady Lancers battle both absolutely withering heat and the visiting Salem High Lady Blue Devils at LHS on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 29. And when the final buzzer blared the hosts had a 3-1, season-opening success to contemplate as they attempted to cool down.
Lauren Mullen scored two goals and Lauren Doherty had the other as the Lancers carried a 1-0 lead to halftime and then scored two more shots in the second half. Those markers were sandwiched around Salem’s lone score, which came on a penalty stroke.
The hosts made it a 1-0 contest with 3:34 left in the opening period when Mullen was set up by Chelsea Mullen, and that was it on the scoring in that first period. Londonderry goalie Morgan Brutus made three saves to keep the Lady Devils off the scoreboard while Salem keeper Marisa Hamman turned aside some six LHS scoring attempts.
However, the hosts only needed seconds – 25 to be precise – to bag their second goal of the day as Doherty scored with assists from Izzy Augusta and Courtney Shay.
Salem was able to trim its deficit in half five minutes later on a successful penalty stroke, but the Lady Lancers went back up by two markers 11 minutes later when Shay set up Lauren Mullen.
Both goalies made two stops in the second half, and both were doubtless joyful about getting out of their heavy equipment on a day when the heat index was over 100.
“It was pretty rough,” said Treadway of the heat. “The girls on both teams were tired. We played 15-minute quarters to give them extra breaks, but subbing occurred frequently, which did make it challenging to get the lines into a flow with one another. We had some messy moments, and I think the heat played a role in that. And then we had some great moments. Staying consistent with the little pieces of the game and playing our level regardless of the elements or other factors will be crucial to success moving forward. Overall though, I’m proud of the team for sticking together and pulling through with the win.”
The weather was considerably two days later when LHS traveled to Exeter and squeaked out a 3-2 victory over the host Blue Hawks.
Londonderry had to play a bit of catch-up in this one after its host potted the only goal of the first half just over three minutes into the match.
The Lancers responded with three consecutive goals in the second half, with Jenna Stowell tallying the tying goal 4:25 in (from Doherty), Jenna Madigan giving her side the lead seven minutes later (from Stowell), and Kayla Miles making it a 3-1 match six minutes later unassisted.
The Hawks trimmed their deficit back to one goal with 7:25 remaining, but 3-2 was where the score ended up.
LHS goalie Brutus finished up with two saves in helping her team up its season record to 2-0.
Londonderry then rolled into this week’s action facing a home match against former LHS field hockey coach Ann MacLean’s Merrimack mob on Wednesday, Sept. 5 – after Londonderry Times press time – followed by a road trip to Plaistow to play the defending state champions from Timberlane on Friday.