Bedford holds off Londonderry to advance to D1 field hockey final for 1st time (video)

EXETER - Eloise Montagano and Teagan O'Donnell have been working on penalty corners together for so long, it was no surprise to Monatagano when her teammate faked a shot and slipped a pass to her.

Fortunately for the Bedford High School field hockey team, it was to Londonderry, and left Montagano with a clear shot at the goal.

The ball found the back of the cage midway through the first quarter, and O'Donnell added a late insurance goal on a penalty stroke, to give No. 2 Bedford a 2-0 win Tuesday over No. 3 Londonderry in the Division I semifinals at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter.

The Bulldogs (16-1-1) move on to the championship game for the first time in program history, where they will face top-seeded and defending-champion Keene at 7 p.m. Saturday at Bedford High School. The Blackbirds knocked off No. 4 Winnacunnet, 2-1, in the other semifinal.

"We were definitely nervous a bit because we hadn’t made it this far," O'Donnell said. "It was our goal to make it to this game and see where we go from there. I think after that first goal, we’re a confident team, we’re confident in each other.

"We think that our 11 players are the best 11 players in the state and you have to have go in with that mentality no matter what. I think we all trust each other a lot."

That trust started with seniors O'Donnell and Montagano, who have been friends and teammates for a long time, and were focused on getting to a championship game together in their final season.

"We’ve been doing it for so long," Montagano said. "Throughout this week, we practiced a lot, that specific corner. I’m able to get the flick off really quick. Grace (Wolf) does a really good job inserting. Teagan does a really good job of, once she receives it, she fakes it, so the defender goes toward her, so she slips it back to me, and I’m able to get the wide-open shot off."

The goal gave Bedford a 1-0 lead with 7:37 remaining in the first quarter, and after getting the ball back, it looked like the Bulldogs might get more, getting another corner. But Londonderry (14-4) was able to clear the circle and a foul on Bedford sent the ball the other way.

The score stayed that way for almost 50 minutes of game time, as neither team gave the other much room to operate. Bedford finished the game with eight penalty corners while Londonderry had five.

Molly Tharrington finished with six saves for the Lancers while Irene Tsai had four for the Bulldogs.

"We were not capitalizing on our offensive end," Londonderry coach Nichole Treadway said. "We definitely struggled there. I think the speed of the turf was something we were worried about and I think that was clear. Coming out of the first quarter down 1-0 and holding them to that until the last three minutes of the game, I think it speaks volumes."

Londonderry got its first opportunity on a corner late in the first quarter, but wouldn't get another until about five minutes remained in the third. But the Lancers kept the Bulldogs from getting any good looks on any of their opportunities, too.

"Londonderry has excellent defense," Bedford coach Kate Gaudreau said. "Their defense is solid. Their goalie played unbelievable and she had saves from some Eloise’s shots and Teagan’s shots that I’ve seen all year. It didn’t surprise me."

Bedford's defense was up to the task, as the Bulldogs worked to get back any time a teammate was beat or got caught upfield.

"As a whole, our team is very determined, and we’re very well-conditioned," Bedford senior Mia Katane said. "That’s something Gaudreau has pushed all the time because running is going to be crucial in moments like this. My whole team wants it so badly that, if they do get beat, they hustle back. The most important things in those situations are our determination and conditioning."

With under five minutes to play, Bedford got the ball into the circle and Tharrington made a stop right in front on the Bulldogs' Mary Lenti. The rebound came right back to Lenti, and this time, she was able to get it through Tharrington's pads.

It looked like the Lancers were going to be able to clear it, but instead, Bedford was awarded a penalty stroke, and O'Donnell buried it with 3:40 remaining for a 2-0 lead.

"Last time I took (a stroke) was on this field and I went far left and I missed the net," O'Donnell said. "I was really nervous. I looked at Gaudreau and I pointed to myself and said ‘can I take it?’

"She’s huge on practicing stuff like that. All season, we’ve practiced strokes after practice just in case. I was really nervous because I knew that if I missed it, it would probably be the most embarrassing thing ever. Luckily it went in."

Good for the Bulldogs because the Lancers stormed right back and forced Bedford to defend its circle for most of the final three minutes. Londonderry got a pair of corners late, but Tsai and the Bedford defense held up.

"They’re a great team and they did not let down," O'Donnell said. "Those girls all worked their buts off the entire game and they did not let up either. The last two minutes, they were drilling the ball, they didn’t give up."

Bedford moves on to the final for the first time, where it will face Keene, the only team to defeat the Bulldogs this season. The two will play the final game of Saturday's championship tripleheader at 7 p.m. at Bedford High School.