Pinkerton field hockey preps for postseason with win over Nashua South (video)

NASHUA - The Pinkerton Academy field hockey team has had a mindset throughout the year to stay sharp in every game.

Take each contest, regardless of opponent, like it's the most important one of the season.

The Astros followed that mantra Wednesday night, overcoming a slow start and a hot goaltender, to beat Nashua South 6-0 in a Division I game at Stellos Stadium.

Five different players scored goals for Pinkerton (12-1), including two by Maddy Curley in the second half, while Lily Auger and Emma Johnston each had two assists. Justine Doyle, Marley Mailloux, Mari Shea and Lauren Lisauskas also had a goal apiece for the Astros.

"I’ve told the girls from the beginning it doesn’t matter who the team is that you are playing," Pinkerton coach Katie Littlefield said. "The game that you are playing is the biggest game of your season.

"Some girls look at the records and want to see the standings. It doesn’t matter. Any given Sunday, especially with a team on its senior night. Don’t mess with a team on its senior night because they can do unexpected things for sure."

Although the Astros had opportunities to score early, South's Courtney Tello did everything she could to keep Pinkerton out of the net. The Panthers goalie finished with 18 saves, with eight of those coming in the game's first 10 minutes.

"Courtney played amazing in the first half," South coach Ciki McIntire said. "The defense did a really good job of shutting them down and clearing the ball, keeping their heads above water as much as they could. They were doing a few of the things we were suggesting and being successful. The more they see that, the more they believe in themselves."

Lisauskas gave Pinkerton a 1-0 lead with 19:54 remaining in the first half and Mailloux made it 2-0 by scoring off a penalty corner just under five minutes later. But the Panthers' defense stepped up after that and kept the Astros from scoring the rest of the half to keep it a 2-0 game at halftime.

"A little slow at the beginning but we definitely turned it around in the second half," Littlefield said. "I was glad that we actually started to convert some of the possession that we had. We were in their zone for a lot of time, so seeing them actually convert that into goals is obviously the goal."

Curley made it 3-0 just over seven minutes into the second half and Doyle scored with 19:22 left to give Pinkerton a 4-0 lead.

South had its best chance to get on the board midway through the half, when a breakout the other way led to back-to-back penalty corners, but the Panthers were unable to get a shot away on either opportunity.

"I was really pleased with the effort they gave," McIntire said. "Pinkerton’s skill is so far above ours and they are just a well-coached team. They know where they are moving the ball two passes ahead. I thought our girls did a good job of trying to adapt to that and trying to cut off the passing lanes. I was pleased with some of the things they were trying to do on the field."

Shea and Curley finished out the scoring in the game's final eight minutes.

"We were talking about what is the tempo we want to be setting rolling into playoffs," Littlefield said. "You need to get on the board and see a lot of different people scoring. I think that makes us even more of a threat. We don’t have one scorer, we have a whole team of scorers."

Pinkerton is scheduled to finish the regular season on Thursday at home against Exeter, while South will go to Concord on Friday.