Charlie Breitrose
Watertown senior Michaela Antonellis, 3, celebrates with senior Ally McCall after Antonellis scored the Raiders’ second goal against Wilmington.
Another win and another shutout for the Watertown High School field hockey team, but for more than a half Wilmington kept the Raiders from getting on the board.
The 2-0 victory Friday afternoon at Victory Field moves the Raiders (18-0) into the MIAA Div. 2 North Section semifinal.
Charlie Breitrose
Watertown’s Gabby Venezia battles Wilmington defenders in front of the net as Olivia Venezia comes to help.
Wilmington (11-7-2) packed its entire team inside the circle for much of the game and pressured Watertown’s players when they had the ball. The Wildcats’ goalie, Rose Cuozzo, came far out of the goal to challenge the Raiders.
The first half ended with an untimed corner where Watertown brought its entire team up to attack the goal. Watertown junior Kourtney Kennedy got off a shot, but Cuozzo reached out for a kick save and the first half ended.
Charlie Breitrose
Watertown junior Kourtney Kennedy fires at the Wilmington goal, but Rose Cuozzo made a kick save to end the half scoreless in the North Section quarterfinal.
Kennedy faced a physical defense from Wilmington, and appeared frustrated at times. The Wildcats were called for two green cards and one yellow card resulting in a players being sent off for five minutes.
Despite this, Kennedy made Wilmington pay, taking a pass from Maddie Leitner and blasting a shot from around 10 yards out and hit the back of the net to give Watertown a 1-0 lead less than four minutes into the second half.
Charlie Breitrose
Kourtney Kennedy, 14, gets a high five after putting Watertown in the lead in the North Section quarterfinal Friday at Victory Field.
The chances kept on coming for Watertown. Senior Michaela Antonellis got the ball down low, dribbled around and outstretched goalie and knocked the ball in for a 2-0 Watertown lead with five minutes left in the game.
The section semifinal will be against Weston, which beat Gloucester 2-1. The game will next week at Reading High School. The day and time are yet to be announced.
Charlie Breitrose
Watertown’s Krista Knell knocks the ball away from a Wilmington player in the Raiders’ North Section quarterfinal victory.