Somerset Berkley corners Andover in field hockey semifinal

It’s hard enough beating the Somerset Berkley field hockey team in the run of the play, but giving the Raiders too many penalty corners will almost certainly spell doom.

Somerset Berkley scored three times off corners in the first half to build an insurmountable lead against Andover in a Division 1 state semifinal Thursday night in Braintree, keeping its perfect season intact with a 4-1 victory.

The Raiders (23-0) will get the chance to defend their state title on Saturday at WPI against either Nashoba or Longmeadow.

“Last year, we had that one loss against Walpole, and to avenge that loss was huge,” said Somerset Berkley senior Alex Millar. “This year, it’s just so much different with an undefeated season because I don’t think we have ever done that here before.”

Millar converted twice on blasts from the top of the circle on corners, while Lucas Crook and Reaghan Cadorette added goals for Somerset Berkley. Millar’s strikes were near carbon copies, taking the direct feed and whistling in shots just over two minutes in and again near the midway point of the first half for a 2-0 lead.

“We just took advantage of the situation that was given to us,” said Somerset Berkley coach Jen Crook. “If no one is pressuring you, you are going to take the shot.”

The Raiders made it 3-0 with another successful corner, as Andover blocked a Millar bid but Crook was there to clean up the loose ball in the circle with 2:14 left in the half. Somerset Berkley held an 8-3 edge in corners in the first half and 12-7 for the game.

Andover (16-3-4) gave the Raiders a dose of their own medicine before the half expired, earning an untimed corner and taking advantage as Katelyn Gemmell redirected a Sydney Gregory shot, cutting the margin to 3-1 heading into the break.

The Raiders had an opening to get closer with consecutive corner chances with about 20 minutes to play, but were denied on both, and Cadorette put the nail in the coffin, deflecting in a Cami Crook ball with less than four minutes remaining.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2CKHm9m