Barrett's 4th-quarter goals get Souhegan field hockey past Kennett in D2 playoffs (video)

AMHERST - Ella Barrett had plenty of reason to be frustrated.

Through three quarters of Friday's Division II field hockey quarterfinal, the junior and her Souhegan High School teammates couldn't figure out a way to beat Kennett's defense, despite getting plenty of opportunities.

That included a penalty stroke in the first quarter, which Barrett shot off the post, and with the season guaranteed for only another 15 minutes, she knew the Sabers needed to figure it out.

It didn't take long once the fourth quarter started, as Barrett scored twice in a little more than three minutes and No. 3 Souhegan kept the pressure on for a 2-1 win over No. 6 Kennett. The win sends the Sabers to the semifinals for the third straight year, where they will face No. 2 Portsmouth at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter.

The win also gave Souhegan's five returning varsity players a little bit of revenger, after losing last year's D2 title game to Kennett.

"We had a fire under us to get that because we lost last year to Kennett," Barrett said. "We really wanted it. I think we just pushed ourselves even further because we knew these were the last two quarters and we had to just go for it and get it all. We did a lot better in the second half."

Natalie Lawhorn assisted on both of Barrett's goals and the Sabers (13-1-1) limited the Eagles (10-5-1) to just five total shots and only one on goal.

That shot was the goal by Vivian Rober-Carpenter that gave Kennett the lead with 8:03 left in the first quarter, with Veronica Carboni getting the assist.

"Our defense was really clumping and sagging in, which we do when we just get nervous," Souhegan coach Kelli Braley said. "I forget who had it at the top of the circle, but she had probably five yards to shoot the ball. She shot it, put it in a crowd of people and our goalie (Annie Raduazzo) wasn’t able to make a play on it because we were crowding her so much."

Souhegan had a chance to tie it up late in the first, when Kennett goalie Madison Wolcott made a diving save on an attempt by Mckenzie Berry, but in doing so covered up the ball, giving the Sabers the penalty stroke. Barrett's shot clanged off the left post, keeping it a 1-0 game.

"It did a lot, it really got in my head and I was really down after that," she said. "I knew, it’s in the past, I just have to get out of my head and start doing something else. It felt so good to come back from that stroke."

It looked like Berry was going to tie the game in the third quarter, when she deflected a shot by Barrett toward the far side of the goal. But Kennett's Remi Snowdon dove across the goal and got her stick down just before the ball crossed the line.

The Sabers were able to control the rebound, and Barrett got another chance, but Wolcott made the save and the Eagles eventually cleared the ball.

"That meant we were getting good chances," Braley said. "As long as we’re getting good chances, it’s going to fall our way at some point."

It finally did 2:58 into the fourth quarter. Barrett took a shot from the top of the circle that got deflected by a Kennett player on the way in, and with Wolcott screened, the ball bounced into the goal.

Souhegan had another rush moments later, and this time, Wolcott was able to stop Barrett's initial shot. But the rebound was tipped back by Lawhorn and Barrett got just enough on the ball to bounce it past the defense and over the goal line. That made it 2-1 Sabers with 8:59 remaining.

"It was so big," Barrett said of coming back quickly. "After the first goal, we were like ‘we need another.’ To win the game, we had to get another. It motivated us. The other team knows we want another one. We knew we’d have to fight even harder."

The Sabers return to the final four seeking their third-straight trip to the D2 championship game. They handed Portsmouth its only loss, 2-0, on Sept. 24.

"We saw Portsmouth real early in the season, a lot has changed since then for sure," Braley said. "I’d like to think we’ve grown a lot and I imagine they’ve grown a lot, too. It will be an exciting game. I’m ready to start working for it."