Goffstown field hockey advances with win over Bow in D2 playoffs (video)

GOFFSTOWN - Shannon Gifford wanted to give the Goffstown High School field hockey team a little bit of breathing room.

So when the senior got the ball cleanly at the top of the circle, she pulled back and ripped a shot into the goal to give the Grizzlies a two-goal lead.

It was more than enough to help No. 7 Goffstown keep its season alive, as the Grizzlies beat No. 10 Bow for the second time in less than a week, 3-1, in the Division II preliminary round Thursday. The win sends Goffstown (9-6) to the quarterfinals, where it will play at No. 2 Hanover (11-1-1) on Sunday at 2 p.m.

"I thought it was a good game," Goffstown coach Jess Brown said. "Bow is a strong team who played strong and until the final whistle. The score can be deceiving because I don’t think there was any true moment of easy breathing in this game. Our girls finished really well in the circle, especially on the corners. They played strong and they played smart."

Grace Taylor added a goal and an assist for the Grizzlies, Makayla Strickulis also scored and Sarah Mattison made four saves to help give Goffstown its seventh win in its last nine games.

But after needing a last-second goal from Taylor to beat the Falcons (5-9-1) in the regular-season finale, the Grizzlies went into the playoff rematch a little nervous.

"I think there were lots of nerves, especially since the last time was such a close game," Gifford said. "We knew they’d come out fighting and they did. We had to keep our composure, and that was the main thing. Definitely, communicating on the field was very important for us."

It didn't lead to a goal until 9:56 remained in the first half, when Taylor found Strickulis to make it a 1-0 Goffstown.

But like the Grizzlies did a week ago, when the Falcons netted the first goal, Bow answered a few minutes later on a goal by Sarah Guerrette to tie the game.

"It’s always nice to be the first team on the board," Brown said. "We weren’t there for long, but it’s nice to have that mental piece, that you can get it into the back of the net."

Goffstown wasted no time getting the lead back, as Taylor scored with 7:12 remaining in the half to give the Grizzlies a 2-1 lead that they carried into halftime.

"That was huge," Gifford said. "Right away, within 10 seconds, we had it back. That was great. We wanted that win and that showed how our team work just kind of built up when we scored right away. That was good."

Bow came out strong to start the second half, but after Goffstown was able to stop the Falcons on a penalty corner, the Grizzlies got one of their own moments later. Strickulis put the ball in play and Gifford crushed a shot that blew by everyone into the back of the goal.

"I knew I had to get that," she said. "We needed that lead, just to settle in. In my head, I was like ‘I can’t miss right now.’"

Goffstown had some opportunities for more, but Bow's defense, led by goalie Madeline Soucy (five saves), kept it a two-goal game.

The Falcons had a chance to cut into the lead with under 10 minutes to play, as they had four straight corners, but the Grizzlies were able to hold them off and hang on for the win.

"For the girls, we knew that Bow wasn’t going to be a team that wasn’t one to take lightly," Brown said. "Bow didn’t go away and they just continued to rely on what our game plan was."

Now Goffstown travels to face a Hanover team it hasn't played in a couple of years. The Marauders allowed just seven goals all season and had nine shutouts.

"We’re really going to have to push our offense," Gifford said. "Working on corners, working on passes up the field, really pushing it, that’s going to be big."