Dubreuil scores in OT, Goffstown beats Lebanon to head to D2 field hockey final

EXETER - The longer the game went, the more the Goffstown High School field hockey team knew it was going to need a bounce to go its way to beat Lebanon goalie Ashlee Blashock.

With about four minutes left in overtime, the Grizzlies got one.

Kendall Dubois sent the ball into the circle to Bethany Dubreuil, but Blashock came out to challenge any shot and ended up knocking the ball away. Dubreuil was able to get the rebound and get enough on a second attempt that the ball trickled past the goalie and rolled over the goal line, giving No. 9 Goffstown a 2-1 win over No. 5 Lebanon in the Division II semifinals at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter.

Goffstown (12-6) moves on the the title game for the first time since 2005, where it will face No. 2 Portsmouth at 4 p.m. Sunday at Bedford High School. The Grizzlies will be seeking their first championship since 2001.

"It went into the circle and across," Dubreuil said. "The goalie slid down and I just barely touched it. It went past the goalie and went right into the corner. I didn’t think it was going to go in.

"We were all exhausted, certainly. It definitely took that last push, even if it was a measly push, it got in."

Dubreuil's game-winner came with 3:54 left in the overtime and gave Goffstown a win in a game it had dominated for long stretches. The Grizzlies had a 19-4 edge in penalty corners but Blashock stymied them at ever turn, finishing with 18 saves.

"We talked about how the Lebanon goalie, she’s aggressive and she can go down, just to get that ball over her," Goffstown coach Jess Brown said. "I thought Bethany did a phenomenal job of converting. That girl has worked so hard."

Dubois had the other goal for Goffstown, as she scored off a corner with 4:33 left in the third quarter to tie the game. The Grizzlies, who had a 7-0 edge on corners in the third alone, came close to take the lead in the final minutes of the quarter, but couldn't get another one past Blashock.

Lebanon (12-3-2) finished the game with just one shot on goal, a second-quarter score by Sally Tretter that put the Raiders up 1-0 with 5:34 remaining in the first half.

"After they got their goal, we were kind of discouraged," Dubreuil said. "We kept up our positivity and made sure we played at a hundred percent regardless of the score. We kept playing."

The Raiders were able to create more opportunities in the fourth quarter, but still only had one corner, as Goffstown's defense - led by Jaiden Lacerte, Grace Murphy and Sophia Christinakis - stepped up every time Lebanon got near the circle.

"(Christinakis) played a phenomenal game for us defensively," Brown said. "I’m not surprised she was big for us (Friday). It was exciting to see it. Defensively, they did a great job of stepping up and making the tackle and keeping the ball moving forward."

Goffstown had a chance to win the game with no time left, getting a pair of corners in the final seconds, but a pass down low was off the mark and rolled over the end line, sending it to overtime.

The Raiders had the first good chance in overtime, getting a corner with about seven minutes to play, but the Grizzlies were able to clear the circle and get going in the other direction.

Goffstown got back-to-back corners moments later and couldn't capitalize, but the Grizzlies were able to keep the ball in their offensive end, setting up Dubreuil's goal.

"It was nice the game ended the way it did in that overtime," Brown said. "We’ve been getting better and hitting our stride right now. At the beginning of the season, it wasn’t dropping. We’ve grown and matured as a group and they’re playing well together.

"I think believing in each other, I just think it speaks to the leadership on this team. I think it speaks to the young players, how well they’ve stepped up and kind of exceeded our expectations."