Charlie Breitrose
Watertown senior Gabby Venezia goes around a Bishop Fenwick defender in the First Round State Tournament win at Victory Field. Venezia scored a goal and had an assist in the 4-0 win.
A 4-0 win over Bishop Fenwick gave the Watertown High School field hockey team a good start in its effort to win the school’s 10th straight MIAA State Championship.
The Raiders, top seed in the Div. 2 North Section bracket, hosted the first round game against the 17th-seeded Crusaders Friday afternoon at Victory Field.
Senior Gabby Venezia started the scoring for Watertown with a goal 6:19 into the first half. She scored on a restart in the Bishop Fenwick end when she fired a powerful shot, which hit Fenwick goalie Lauren Wilkinson’s pad, flew into the air, landing near the line and rolled into the net.
Charlie Breitrose
Watertown junior Ally Kennedy brings the ball up field in the First Round State Tournament game, as Emily Campbell runs ahead of her. Kennedy scored a goal and added an assist against Bishop Fenwick.
Catherine Connors doubled the lead with 2:56 left in the first half when she scored off a corner. Junior Ally Kennedy assisted on the tally.
In the second half, Kennedy scored a goal of her own, when the shot she fired from near the top of the circle deflected and arced into the back of the net with 14:54 left in the second half. Venezia got the assist.
Charlie Breitrose
Watertown’s Shannon Hughes tips in the Raiders’ fourth goal in the State Tourney win over Bishop Fenwick.
With 6:40 remaining in the game, the Raiders passed the ball around the circle, and Connors found Shannon Hughes alone on the back door. She tipped the ball in to make it 4-0.
Watertown improves to 17-0-1 on the season, while Bishop Fenwick (9-9-2) ended its season, having previously beat Tewksbury in the preliminary round.
The Raiders host the North Section quarterfinal at 10 a.m. on Sunday, when they take on ninth-seeded Ipswich, a 3-2 winner over Pentucket.
Charlie Breitrose
Watertown’s Emily Campbell battles for the ball against Bishop Fenwick in the first round State Tournament game Friday at Victory Field.