Souhegan beats Bow to win D2 field hockey championship (video)

BEDFORD - If the playoff run was going to end where the Souhegan High School field hockey team wanted it to, depth was going to be key for the Sabers.

Turned out it was, in more ways then one.

Down to the backup goalie and without one of the team's leading scorers all postseason, Souhegan still managed to find its way into Saturday's Division II championship game. And after it looked like Bow might run the Sabers off the field in the first quarter, they regrouped and bided their time the rest of the way.

It paid off, as freshman Mariellah Dart scored with just over six minutes remaining to break a tie and top-seeded Souhegan held on to beat No. 2 Bow 2-1 to win the D2 championship at Bedford High School. The title is the first for the Sabers since capturing the Class I title in 2007.

"Depth is what got us through it," Souhegan coach Kelli Braley said. "Bow absolutely controlled that first half. They came out of the gates hot and we got back on our heels a little bit and had to fight back. The depth is what carried us through because we had fresh legs."

Dart scored off an assist from Ella Russell to end a run of seven straight penalty corners for Souhegan (17-1-1) in the fourth quarter, giving the Sabers their first lead with 6:18 remaining. Ori Dart also scored, putting in a penalty stroke in the second quarter that tied the game 1-1.

Shire Kelley had the goal for Bow (15-2-2), knocking the ball out of a scrum in front and into the back of the goal for a 1-0 lead with 12:03 to go in the second quarter.

For sophomore goalie Olivia Harrison, it was the first goal she allowed in five varsity appearances this season, the last four of which she was filling in for injured starter Amelia Warecki.

"I mean, at first, it was definitely frustrating," Harrison said of allowing the goal. "But something I tell myself is to have a 0-0 mentality. The entire game, you have to think that. Otherwise, it’ll get in your head."

Harrison came up with a big stop moments later, one of eight saves the sophomore had on the day, and Souhegan was able to get some sustained play in Bow's end after that, setting up the stroke by Ori Dart.

"That stroke from Ori was a blessing and her ability to just be calm under pressure and bury it is huge," Braley said. "To not have your starting senior captain goalie (Warecki), another starting captain in the midfield (Eme Godin), our bench players really stepped up to carry us to the spot."

Bow opened the third quarter with a chance on a corner, but couldn't capitalize, and play remained in the midfield for a long stretch, until Souhegan got a corner with about four minutes remaining.

Aubrey Merrill made the initial save on a shot by the Sabers, but the rebound trickled past her and was headed for the goal until Madelyn Hebert pulled the ball off the line to keep it a tie game. Souhegan had another corner after that, but the Falcons got the ball out of the circle and pushed it to the other end.

Harrison made a stop and the Sabers defended a corner in the final moments as it remained 1-1 going into the fourth.

From there, Souhegan's fresh legs took over, getting a corner just moments into the fourth to start the run to the Mariellah Dart's winning goal.

"I can’t say enough about her poise as a freshman under pressure," Braley said. "Just stepping and burying that winner is huge. When it came down to it, just making sure we simplified and executed was what we needed."