> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # St. Thomas takes care of business with win over Berlin in D3 field hockey semifinal (video) - URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/st-thomas-takes-care-of-business-with-win-over-berlin-in-d3-field-hockey-semifinal-video/ - Published: 2025-10-30T17:30:02.000Z - Updated: 2025-10-30T17:30:02.000Z - Description: EXETER - Facing an unfamiliar opponent in the playoffs, the St. Thomas Aquinas High School field hockey team went in with a game plan of focusing on itself first. After that, the Saints would make adjustments as they went and see where that landed them. The plan worked about as well as it could, a - Author: Joe Marchilena - Tags: Division III-IV, Berlin, Division III, field hockey, playoffs, semifinals, slider, St. Thomas, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44 EXETER - Facing an unfamiliar opponent in the playoffs, the St. Thomas Aquinas High School field hockey team went in with a game plan of focusing on itself first. After that, the Saints would make adjustments as they went and see where that landed them. The plan worked about as well as it could, as No. 4 St. Thomas scored the game-winning goal early in the second half and made it hold up in a 2-1 win Wednesday night over No. 1 Berlin in the Division III semifinals at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter. With the win, the Saints move on to a championship game for the first time since 2003, when they won the Class I title for the program's only championship. St. Thomas will take on No. 3 Mascenic, which defeated No. 2 Hopkinton in the other semifinal, at 3 p.m. Saturday at Bedford High School in the D3 title game. "I’m so proud of them," St. Thomas coach Lindsay Dobecki said. "This team has come really far and they’ve clicked really well in the last two and a half months. I believe that’s been a big reason for our success this season. That was the game plan, to play our game." That worked early, as St. Thomas (13-3) took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Talula Gregg - her fourth of the playoffs - with 9:33 left in the first quarter. Berlin (14-2-1) tied the game early in the second, but freshman Mollie Gaynor deposited a pass from Gregg into the goal with 11:32 left in the third quarter to score what proved to be the game-winner. The winning goal came on a penalty corner, with Gregg inserting the ball to Lizzy Holden at the top of the circle. Holden took a little off her swing and chipped the ball back to Gregg, and with the Berlin defense coming toward her, Gregg got the ball by goalie McKenna Kelley (eight saves) to Gaynor, who was open in front of the goal. "That’s the great part of our team, we pay attention to that," Gaynor said of Gregg's pass to her. "It was great that we caught that and spread out like that. Talula played an amazing game and I’m so proud of the team." Gregg made it 1-0 when a ball deflected to her in the circle and the senior's swing caught just enough for it to catch the inside of the far post and cross the goal line. St. Thomas kept the pressure on for stretches of the first quarter, but the Mountaineers responded to open the second. Berlin got its first penalty corner to open the quarter, and after getting the insert from Olivia Richard, Emily Smith sent it right back to her. Richard hit a centering pass that Harmony Horne gave an extra push to, sliding it across to Emma Rancloes, who found the back of the cage to tie the game with 13:13 to go until halftime. It remained a 1-1 game at the break, despite some chances for Berlin, and Dobecki reminded the Saints they were in the same spot in the quarterfinals against Mascoma Valley. "It’s a similar mentality as to what happened to us in our quarterfinal game," the coach said. "We’ve been here before, we’re going to reset, we’re going to tweak some things that we need to, and keep playing our game." After Gaynor put St. Thomas back in front, play remained in the midfield for most of the third quarter, before the Mountaineers started pushing for the tying goal in the fourth. Berlin had five of its 10 corners in the final quarter, including one with no time left in regulation, but couldn't get the equalizer. "It was a crazy game," Gaynor said. "We just fought hard and we really wanted it."