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# Souhegan field hockey shuts out Oyster River to return to D2 final
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/souhegan-field-hockey-shuts-out-oyster-river-to-return-to-d2-final/
- Published: 2020-10-30T12:00:43.000Z
- Updated: 2020-10-30T12:00:43.000Z
- Description: DURHAM - The elements were there for the Souhegan High School field hockey team to get off to a slow start. Longest bus ride of the season, cold and rain, and an opponent in Oyster River that the Sabers hadn't seen before Thursday's Division II semifinal.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, field hockey, Oyster River, playoffs, slider, Souhegan, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

DURHAM - The elements were there for the Souhegan High School field hockey team to get off to a slow start.

Longest bus ride of the season, cold and rain, and an opponent in Oyster River that the Sabers hadn't seen before Thursday's Division II semifinal.

Souhegan coach Kelli Braley tried to a create a spark for her team, making a change at the center of her forward line, moving senior Catie Summers up, and the move paid off instantly.

Summers assisted on a goal by Nichol O'Rourke, giving the Sabers the lead moments into the game, and Summers went on to score three goals of her own, as Souhegan rolled to a 6-0 win over the Bobcats. For the second year in a row, the Sabers will play in the D2 final, as they'll head to Kennett, which beat Merrimack Valley 2-0, for a 1 p.m. start on Sunday.

"We played great," Braley said. "The cold weather, I was worried about a slow start, so I mixed up some things up front to start and it paid off. I think that goal in the first minute was huge for us. It definitely set a tone."

Ava Van Ballegooyen and Cali Bishop also had a goal apiece and O'Rourke and Ella Barrett each had an assist as the Sabers (12-0) turned a 2-0 halftime lead into a four-goal lead just five minutes into the second half. Annie Raduazzo finished with five saves for Souhegan.

"It feels amazing," Summers said of the win. "The team is amazing. We’re all playing so well together, the chemistry is incredible."

When she heard the changes that Braley wanted to make for the game, Summers was on board.

"I’m always up for it," the senior said. "I’ll play any position on the field, wherever she wants to put me. Thank goodness we have amazing forwards. It’s always fun to play up front, you can do more stick stuff, more shooting. Nicole was there for that first goal."

But after taking the early 1-0 lead, Braley was worried that it might cause the Sabers to take their foot off the gas.

"It made me a little nervous that they were going to just rest on that, but they didn’t," she said. "They kept pushing for the full 60 (minutes). That was good."

Summers made it 2-0 by scoring on a penalty stroke, and early in the third quarter, the Sabers were awarded another stroke just 4:05 into the half. Summers scored again to make it 3-0 and Van Ballegooyen found the back of the cage just 51 seconds later to put Souhegan up by four.

"I feel like I do pretty well under pressure, but I was pretty confident going into it," Summer said of the penalty strokes. "I always usually go to the same spot and I get nervous doing two in a game because the goalie knows where I’m going. (Oyster River goalie Molly Haggard) did get a glove on it and it was a decent stop. Luckily it went in."

Getting two goals so quickly gave Souhegan a lead that Braley was finally able to feel comfortable.

"It was necessary," she said. "As far as I’m concerned, a two-goal lead is the worst lead in hockey. The second they get one, they’re right back in it and pushing hard, and you’re back on your heels. It was essential that we netted another one to give ourselves a bit of breathing room."

Bishop made it 5-0 with a goal 2:32 into the fourth quarter and Summers finished out the scoring with 6:36 left in the game.