Opening Day For Belmont High Hoops an Up (Girls) and Down (Boys) Affair

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Photo: Belmont vs Melrose

It was an up-and-down result for Belmont High’s Hoop teams on their opening day of the 2024-25 Boy and Girls’ campaign on Friday, Dec. 13. While the Marauders Girls romped past Melrose, the Boys wasted the efforts of a pair of impressive sophomores as the Raiders took home the victory from the Wenner Field House.

Boys: Melrose 51, Belmont 47

Belmont Head Coach Darren Martinez didn’t sugarcoat his team’s opening performance losing to a solid – but hardly great – Melrose squad. It needs to improve everywhere.

“There’s a lot to be learned on both ends of the floor, individually and as a team. We just had a lot of self-inflicted wounds that hurt you, I expected a little bit of sloppiness. I wish we would have come prepared, but just like I’ve always told you past couple of years, players win, coaches lose. So that’s on me,” said Martinez.

But Martinez saw a few sparks of optimism during the game, pointing to a pair of sophomores in Brayden Dargon and Pete McLaughlin who led the Marauders in scoring with 15 and 8 points.

It was somewhat understandable that the season opener would get off on a as Melrose (1-0) ran off to an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes only to see Belmont (0-1) go on a 9-0 run behind the slick play of Dargon to finish the first quarter up 11-8.

But just like that, the Raiders said “Hold our Gatorade” and matched Belmont’s surge with one of its own, an 11-0 spurt to snatch a 19-11 lead after 3:31 into the quarter, an advantage it would not give up for the remainder of the contest. Belmont did bring the deficit back to two, 21-19, but would trailed 23-19 at the half.

The third quarter saw the lead stay steady in the four to five-point range as Belmont’s guard kept the Marauders in range with a pair of knockdown jumpers as the Raiders entered the final eight minutes leading 37-32. Once again Belmont began hitting their shots and when Will Murphy hit a corner three with six minutes to cut the lead to a single point, it appeared Belmont had grabbed the game’s momentum for a late-game charge.

But Melrose’s senior big man Owen Mujalli would do what senior captains are expected in the final moments: put the team on his back. Mujalli first stole a cross-court pass and drive for two, then hit a spinning jumper for a deuce, and finished with a line-drive three to give Melrose a critical six-point spread, 47-41, in the final two minutes.

Belmont would fight back with a two-from Williams with 25 seconds remaining cutting the lead to a single possession, 50-47. But an apparent clean steal from a Belmont double team was blown as a foul, much to the noisy consternation of the Belmont Girls team watching in the stands. Mujalli – who scored 10 of his game high 18 points in the fourth – knocked down one of two from the charity stripe and ended the game with a defensive rebound.

“I’m gonna challenge my upper class and my juniors and seniors to be leaders and step up and help the young guys. To have sophomores step up like that is great, but I don’t think any great team is relying on sophomores to carry them,” said Martinez.

Next up for the Marauders will be an early season traveling two miles to historic rival Watertown on Tuesday, Dec. 17. It will be played at Watertown Middle School.

“The team showed its potential at times in the game, but they need to be better prepared mentally and physically for future games, especially against tougher opponents like Watertown, that’s for sure,” he said.

Girls: Belmont 70, Melrose 21

It was all smiles as the Girls’ Marauders entered Wenner Field House after the crimson and white dismantled the host Raiders by nearly 50 points, 70-21. “We beat them. Period,” a Marauder said emphatically describing the game between two mismatched Middlesex League teams.

Senior point guard Gabby Orfanos scored a game-high 18 points which included four threes, and sixth-player extraordinaire senior Brynn Connolly added 11 points. First-year Sarah Geller, who third-year head coach Shantell Jeter is high on after the preseason, started the game and knotted eight points.

Gabby had a real breakout game to show what she can do in every game while having a freshman on the floor to start tonight was also another message that we sent,” said Jeter.

Each of Belmont’s 14 member squad got a chance to get on the court in the game which Belmont outscored 22-1 in the first quarter.

“It was a good team effort,” said Jeter. “While they didn’t really have too much we still had a lot of opportunities to work on” a lot of our stuff” including a chance to mix and match lineups. Jeter also praised the team’s defense, producing a handful of five-second calls

Belmont will host its first home match against Watertown on Tuesday with tip-off at 6 p.m. said the Raiders will provide a much stiffer opponent this time around.

“We’ll have to be more intense. We gotta turn up every game,” she said.

0:18


Like about this game. I’m sure I’ll find some good things as well. When we listen and when we played together, when the ball moved, we got good shots.


yeah, we showed spurn to what we can do, and a lot of that is, you know, the bench has to be ready to play. You know, the starters played a lot in the second half, and a lot of it has to be with guys kind of not being ready, maybe nerds for the first game, a little bit of jitters.

I have to get them prepared, but they have to themselves, be mentally and physically prepared as well, so hopefully we bounce back on Tuesday, but it’s not going to be any easy against Watertown mastery.

Belmont High Football Thanksgiving Day Game vs Watertown (v.102) At Home

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Photo: Belmont will host Watertown for the 102nd time on Thanksgiving.

Belmont High continues its century-long Thanksgiving Day rivalry with neighboring Watertown as the two sides meet at Belmont’s Harris Field, Thursday, Nov. 28 at 10 a.m.

It’s a game Watertown has circled on the calendar after suffering the most lopsided result in the 101 games played when the Marauders beat up the Raiders, 47-0, at Watertown’s Victory Field. Watertown leads the series, 50-46-5.

It’s been a rebuilding year for both teams as the Raiders come into the match at 3-7 while the Marauders – who lost their two varsity quarterback within the first 15 minutes of the opening game against Shawsheen Tech – come in at 2-8.

Tickets for the game will be online only – in fact, your phone will be used to enter the stands. Go to https://gofan.co/event/2331689 to purchase your tickets. Prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Historic Run Ends As Belmont Field Hockey Fell To Andover In State Quarters Match

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Photo: Belmont coming off the pitch at halftime at the quarterfinals of the MIAA state championship

A brilliant sun was just setting on a crisp fall day as the final horn sounded over Lovely Stadium in Andover as the players of Belmont High School Field Hockey slowly made their way to the sideline. Many just wanted to hold on to their teammates while others stared down at the field. They wanted more time together, to continue the season, win just once more.

But the cold reality was the season had just ended, as Andover came away with a solid 3-0 victory over the Marauders in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Division 1 state championship.

Belmont Head Coach Jess Smith only regret was that for the first time in 21 games, the Marauders didn’t bring their A game to a contest which they needed to be their opponents equal.

“It was not our day,” said Smith “Things didn’t fall the way they needed to. It’s like a basketball; we were hitting the rim and the ball just keeps coming out.”

“Some of those players that could elevate their intensity a little bit, it just didn’t happen,” she said.

Not that 5th-seed Belmont didn’t have its chances. In the first quarter, the Marauders were banging on the 4th-ranked Golden Warriors door. Five times they drove the ball within seven meters of goal. The first opportunity came just a minute-and-a-half into the game when a ball squeezed through Andover’s goalie Lucy Baker’s pads only to be stopped on the goal line.

While Belmont had a 10-6 shot advantage and 10 penalty corners in the 60 minutes, each chance would go wanting. And Andover would prove ruthless, scoring on its first two shots all within 90 seconds in the first quarter. The initial goal at 8:28 by Ella Sewall was one of the rare times this season the defense were out-of-position and missed a critical opportunity to clear the ball from in front of first-year goalie Zoe Bruce. The Warriors second tally from Avery Pitts at 6:51 came from some top-notch passing on a penalty corner.

Senior co-captain Ana Hopkins – who centered “The Wall”, Belmont’s outstanding back line along with junior Neamh Lesnik and sophomore Elise Lakin-Schultz – felt that going behind so early on the road put the team on the back foot.

“We were confident coming into it but no one was expecting [Andover] to so quickly bang those two goals. Once our team gets down, we were kind of like … ,” said Hopkins shrugging. “I don’t think we had it in us today to come back.”

While Belmont saw solid performances from center back Hopkins. first year mid Mia Smith and junior captain Mackenzie Clarke, who attracted double and triple teams, the Marauders couldn’t capture the same momentum which they could find during its 16 game winning streak which included wins against top 10 opponents Reading and Winchester.

While Belmont did push forward in the third quarter, coming close on a shot that barely skipped by the far right post, Andover packed the middle of the field with players stifling the Marauders centering passes from the wings. A late goal in the fourth quarter – a well-placed shot from Caroline Samaras that snuck inside the left nearside post – was the coup de grâce for any Belmont comeback.

Smith said the disheartening ending to the season doesn’t take away from a historic year for the program: a Middlesex Liberty Division title – capturing the crown for first in nine years – and records for wins (18) and shutouts (13) – lead by Bruce who didn’t pick up the game until this year – along with scoring 93 goals while surrendering just 18.

“We did a really good job this year,” said Hopkin, who is one of five seniors on the team. “I’ll miss it forever.”

“In all honestly, it’s a great year. We made it further than we ever thought back in August when we worried we were a .500 team,” said Smith. “The nice thing is it’s a young team and now they’re going to expect this from themselves coming into next season. I think they’ll be really motivated for it.”

Belmont High Volleyball On Seven Win Run As Marauders Enters A Gauntlet This Final Week

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Photo:

After coming off a “season to remember” last year – finishing 15-2 and wearing the Middlesex League Liberty crown for the first time – the 2024 campaign for Belmont High Girls’ Volleyball was, at best, underwhelming. For a team that returned a slew of veterans from Head Coach Jennifer Couture’s championship squad, the Marauders stumbled out of the blocks going 4-6 for September.

One big reason for the slow start was the loss of graduating senior Bella Radojevic who was the team’s offensive stalwart who could be relied on to ring up points in bunches. While Couture’s defensive set up is solid, finding the right combination of a new “go to” outside hitter and a steady setter from a group of candidates who were not-as-tall as the players they were facing across the net proved frustrating.

“So we have (junior) Sadie Boaz as our middle [blocker] and she is amazing (18 attacks, nine kills and no errors against powerhouse Melrose), but we are not swimming in starting level middles and [an outside hitter]. We were switching players from other positions to see what could fit where,” said Couture.

“This year is one of those years where we have what we need to do well, but we’re still figuring some things out,” she said.

And soon after a loss to Burlington, all the pieces fell into place as the Marauders are coming off a 7-0 winning streak to up its record to 11-6. Stepping into the hitters role, junior Wuyee Ke (one of nine juniors on the 15 player roster) leads the team averaging 20.5 kills in the last two games with a rocket of a shot which has translated into 50 serving aces this season. Much of Ke’s success comes from the steady hand of returning setter junior Sophia Qin.

Belmont’s team foundation is built on the D. Junior Erin Dailey has become a presence as its defensive specialist who is the team’s top ranked server (7 aces while placing 26 of her 27 serves in play in a clutch performance against Concord-Carlisle which Belmont won 3-2) Add Boaz blocking skills – she is joined up front by sophomores Yekaterina Polina and Stella Ivkovic – with senior Gabrielle Hashioka who leads the team in digs and the Marauders’ defense with the best in the Middlesex League.

And they will need to be at their best during the final week of the regular season as the Marauders will be heading into a gauntlet of top teams beginning with a visit Tuesday, Oct 22, by 14-3 Lexington who defeated Belmont 3-2 in September. On Thursday, the opposition just gets tougher as league leaders Winchester, sporting a 15-2 record, welcomes the Marauders. The Red and Black also defeated Belmont, 3-2, when they met earlier. To finish the season, Belmont travels to a strong D-3 Wayland squad, (11-4) who handed the Marauders a 3-0 defeat at home.

At 11-6, Belmont will make the post season as they currently sit 26th in the MIAA Division 1 Power Rankings.

Sweet 6! Belmont Girls’ Rugby Romps To Sixth Consecutive State Title Over Weymouth

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Photo: Co-Capt. Mia Taylor lifts the state championship trophy after Belmont won its sixth consecutive title, defeating Weymouth, 80-0, on Saturday, June 15, at Curry College.

In a near flawless performance of top-flight rugby, Belmont High School Girls Rugby secured its sixth consecutive MIAA Division 1 state title, romping past a young, scrappy Weymouth squad, 80-0, at Curry College on Saturday, June 15.

The victory continues Belmont’s dominance in the tournament. The Marauders have won every championship game since 2017, when Belmont scored 17 unanswered points to defeat Algonquin Regional High School 17-14 in a true nailbiter.

Belmont HIgh School, the 2024 Div. 1 Girls’ Rugby State Champions

According to Kate McCabe, who started the varsity team a decade ago and has led the squad to each of its half dozen championship victories, it has been “a privilege” to coach what she and her players have created both this season and as a program.

“No one’s showing up because I’m so much fun to hang out with,” said McCabe. “It’s the players that made a family and a system that people feel empowered to be a part of even when they come in knowing nothing about rugby,” she said.

For senior outside center and co-captain Mia Taylor, the victory culminates in a personal three-peat of state championships.

”This team is just incredible. Every day, I’m excited to go to practice. I love these girls so much,” said Taylor, who will soon be off to UC San Diego, where she will continue playing rugby.

Belmont senior Mia Taylor on her way to a hat trick.

While Belmont came into the game unbeaten in 2024, having defeated Weymouth 26-12 in the first match of the season, the Marauders have had its handful with the Wildcats. In its past two encounters, Weymouth kept the matches close until late, including holding the lead early in the 2023 state semi-finals.

Belmont was anything but dominant in the first five minutes, losing its first four possessions on a series of miscues and nerves. But McCabe allowed the team seniors to take care of adjustments on the pitch.

“The coaches didn’t talk to you,” McCabe told her team after the game. “Nobody stepped onto the field. We let you lead, and you played off each other that whole time. Your voices were heard, and they were repeated together, supporting one another. We could not be more proud.”

Belmont’s stellar backline defending shut out Weymouth

Belmont dominated the defensive side of the ball. The front eight prevented Weymouth from putting in a positive phase, with the Wildcats inside Belmont’s 22 meters just once in the first 35 minutes. Belmont’s backs – led by senior wing Ally Caputo and junior Robyn Tonomura-MacDonald – never allowed Weymouth’s swift wings and full-back to break free turning the corners.

Senior lock Sally Amer secured her brace, scoring in the 15th and 23rd minutes, with the first a 10-meter run when she ran over two defenders before lunging into a try. Her second was more impressive: stealing a Weymouth scrum and moments later taking a straight line to try for the five points.

It didn’t take long for Belmont to right the ship, with Taylor grabbing her first try on a run around the right side after nine minutes. It was left up for Belmont’s senior fly half and kicking specialist Lucy “Buzz” Kabrhel to nail the two-point conversion from the most acute angle for the 7-0 lead.

Belmont senior wing Ally Caputo on her way for the team’s fourth try against Weymouth

Moments after receiving the kick, Caputo discovered a crease in Weymouth’s front line and streaked 60 meters for Belmont’s fourth try of the half. Three minutes later, Kabrhel found herself with a meadow of space and slalomed into try. With her conversion, Belmont would enter halftime with a 33-0 lead.

Despite being up by five tries, a rugby advantage is never secure as the scoring team receives the ball after a try and can dictate the game. But Belmont would allow the Wildcats just a single drive close to its try line before senior prop Olivia “Liv” Mann propelled herself to try after Belmont ran a master class in bringing the ball down the pitch. Taylor would throw down a brace within six minutes to complete her hat trick, and the rout was on. Mann, senior lock Abby Hill, junior “Number 8” Sadie Taylor, and Becca Michaud finished the scoring.

With Kabrhel’s 11th of 13 conversion kicks sailing through the uprights, the referee blew his whistle, and Belmont would celebrate its most dominating performance of the five previous state finals.

“It’s a long game, and over the course of the playoff run, we tell them, ‘You play the very best that you have. Give it your all, put it all on the field.’ And today, you can see people were just running as hard as they possibly could, and it was really beautiful to see,” said McCabe.

When Taylor was presented with the state championship trophy, she immediately started jumping up and down, her smile as bright as the sparkling late spring sunshine, expressing everything she and the team were feeling.

“My senior year meant so much to finish it here with every one of my teammates. I’m going to miss this so much,” Taylor said as she carried the trophy off the pitch.

Belmont High Girls’ Rugby Back For Sixth State Title Game Vs Tough Weymouth Squad

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Photo: Belmont Girls’ Rugby in the title game again

Belmont High Girls’ Rugby will seek its six consecutive MIAA Division 1 state championship this Saturday after the Marauders made quick work of Lincoln Sudbury Regional, 71-5, in the state semi-finals match held at Harris Field, June 5.

The undefeated and top-ranked Marauders (7-0) will meet a scrappy third-seed Weymouth squad (5-2) in the title game taking place at 2 p.m., on Saturday, June 15 at Curry College in Milton. The Wildcats sprinted away late from Algonquin Regional in its 60-29 semifinal victory.

Tickets can be purchased at GoFan.com

After an early scare in which Belmont thwarted a Lincoln-Sudbury push deep inside Marauder territory, it was all Belmont as the team pilled up 35 points in the first 20 minutes as it shut out the Warriors in the first half. Junior Robyn Tonomura-MacDonald totaled four of Belmont’s 11 tries while playing stellar defense.

Saturday’s game will be a rematch of the first match of the season which Belmont waited late before pulling away. After scoring two tries quickly, Weymouth came within two – 14-12 – at the half. Weymouth held the advantage for most of the second half before two outstanding long run tries by Mia Taylor gave the Marauders the 27-12 victory.

Belmont Girls’ Lacrosse ‘Bright’ Star Reaches Century Mark

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Photo: Belmont High Girls Lacrosse’s Niamh Lesnik with her teammates celebrating the sophomore reaching 100 goals.

The game played Monday afternoon didn’t go Belmont’s way, a 9-8 overtime loss to Wayland. But in the fading twilight of Harris Field the team had something to celebrate: midfield Niamh Lesnik reached 100 career goals in the first half.

Niamh accomplished the milestone as a sophomore, a feat realized against top-rated Middlesex League competition while performing in the dual role of a two-way midfielder.

JLesnik joins her team mates from last year, Belmont’s “Nickel and Dime” attack pair of senior Mary Mullan and junior Tess Desantis, who reached the century mark in 2023.

(Just so you know, this is how to pronounce Niamh – which is Old Irish for “bright” – from America’s favorite Irish actress.)

Opinion: To Save Belmont High School Sports, Vote Yes on April 2

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Photo: Belmont High School wins its third consecutive MIAA Div. 1 Girls’ Rugby state championship in June, 2023

By Kara Banosian, Matt Garver, David Lind, Katherine Oates, Sara Townsend, and Lucinda Zuniga

Can you imagine Belmont High School without sports teams?

Seriously, try to picture that. There would be no Thanksgiving Day football game against Watertown. No more boys and girls rugby dynasties. There would not be baseball, basketball, ice hockey, soccer, lacrosse, or field hockey teams — or a marching band playing at Harris Field on Friday nights. For that matter, “Soccer Night in Belmont” would vanish, along with its 2,500 spectators.

That’s the prospect Belmont faces if the override on the April 2 ballot does not pass. Without a Yes vote, all sports teams are slated to disappear from the high school within two years, a victim of the drastic budget cuts the town will face. While all other towns play on, Belmont would be sidelined. When it comes to sports, this would be Belmont’s biggest loss ever.

This possibility has become increasingly clear in recent months, and has been made explicit at numerous public meetings of the town government. At the town’s February 8 budget summit, Dr. Jill Geiser, Belmont’s Superintendent of Schools, presented a plan to deal with the massive looming cuts to the schools. If the override fails, then among many other things, all 9th grade sports, plus the ski team, would be cut for the 2024-25 school year. Then all sports teams would be cut for the 2025-26 school year.

Sports is not being singled out in this scenario. Many AP classes and electives would get slashed from the Belmont High School curriculum, along with a huge portion of other extracurricular activities. Burbank Elementary, currently ranked sixth in the state by U.S. News & World Report, would close after the 2024-25 school year. Teachers would be let go across the district. It is a grim picture, and there are still $1.2 million in school cuts left unassigned.

There are many reasons dropping sports from BHS would be painful. Sports have been shown to be great for the physical and mental well-being of participants. Even one year on a 9th grade team can spark friendships that last through high school and beyond. Indeed, we contend that dropping 9th-grade teams alone would significantly hurt BHS students. As Belmont residents in the ice hockey community, we hope kids will always have the opportunity to play for their high school, at any level.

Then there’s the sheer excitement that BHS sports builds in our community. Remember the 2020 run to the (shared) state title for the boys hockey team? How about the 2019 basketball team playing a state semifinal at the TD Garden? The BHS games and teams are part of what makes Belmont a close-knit place, and losing the BHS sports teams would tear at the fabric of the community.

Belmont High School has a proud sports history. Just look at all the banners in the fieldhouse. Some of this history involves famous athletes: Wilbur Wood, a 20-game winner as a big-league pitcher in the 1970s, was a Belmont High star in the early 1960s. But every Belmont team that competes well is a source of pride to its players and coaches. We need to keep that tradition intact.

A few times in recent weeks, we’ve heard people ask if Belmont High School could continue to play sports as long as the teams were privately funded. That’s very unlikely.

For starters, school districts must register for sports with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) in the spring prior to the next academic year, guaranteeing it has funding for the full range of sports teams it submits to the MIAA.

Therefore, any private funds would have to be raised many months in advance of the following season — but even that raises more questions. Who would get to be on a team? The children of those who can donate? How would a school hire and retain good coaches with such year-to-year uncertainty? Even if a few dedicated parents raised large sums in advance for a few sports over a few years, what happens when that cohort of parents loses interest? One of the best things a high school sports program offers is stability and continuity. Any alternative would lead to chaos.

To be clear, school cuts are hardly the only thing on the ballot on April 2. A failed override would lead to deep cuts in the fire department, senior services, library access, and could lead the town to charge for trash pickup starting in 2025.

Still, even if BHS sports are just one part of this picture, they are an important part to many Belmontians. Please vote Yes on Question 1 on April 2, to avoid a profound loss for our community.

The BHS Performing Arts Company Will Be Staging ‘Something Rotten’ This Week

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Photo: The poster of this year’s musical “Something Rotten”

The tale of how the world’s very first musical was staged, the Belmont High School Performing Arts Company presents its Spring Musical “Something Rotten” this week in the Belmont Middle and High School Main Theater.

Showtimes are:

  • Thursday, March 14 at 7 p.m.
  • Friday, March 15 at 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 16 at 2 p.m. (matinee) and 7 p.m. 

Ticketing for the shows is online, and advance purchase of tickets is strongly encouraged, as the Main Theater has limited seating capacity. Tickets can be purchased at bhs-pac.org

It’s 1595, and brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but find themselves stuck in the shadow of William Shakespeare, the Renaissance rock star known as “The Bard.” When a soothsayer foretells that the future of theater involves singing, dancing, and acting – all at the same time – Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. Amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to their own self.

The book is by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell. Music and lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick, who also conceived the work.

TICKETS:
ADULTS: $15 in advance / $18 at the door
STUDENTS/CHILDREN: $10
BHS STUDENTS: $5 Thursday and Saturday Matinee, $10 Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m.

Sweet 16 Shocker: Belmont Girls’ Hockey Upset Three-Seed Lincoln/Sudbury In Quarters, 4-1, As Costa Stops 44 Shots

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Photo: Belmont/Watertown goalie Jil Costa readies to pounce on a loose puck during her team’s game vs. Lincoln/Sudbury

It was a nightmare start for Belmont/Watertown Girls’ hockey goalie Jil Costa against heavy favorites Lincoln/Sudbury Regional High in the MIAA Division 1 state championship quarterfinals.

In its first rush up the ice, Lincoln/Sudbury’s junior Ally Quinn split the defenders and sent a wrist shot to Costa’s glove side, handcuffing the sophomore netminder. The puck sneaked by and rolled on its side into the back of the net.

1-0, Warriors, after 50 seconds.

After this goal, Belmont’s Jil Costa stopped the next 44 in the 4-1 upset of Lincoln/Sudbury

“Once it went in I was a little confused, to be honest,” said Costa, one of the standout goaltenders in the state allowing less than a goal a game – 16 goals in 20 games – this season.

But rather than replay the goal in her mind, “I immediately just got it out of my head. I ignored it as if it didn’t happen and I just had to focus on the next shot,” she said.

And from that point onward, it was lights out as Costa would stop all 44 shots she faced while her teammates scored three goals in the final four minutes of the first period propelling 14th-ranked Belmont to a thrilling upset over third-seed Lincoln/Sudbury, 4-1, in the Sweet 16 contest on a rainy Saturday night, March 2, in West Concord.

Belmont Senior Mia Taylor scored the game winning goal in the first period

“We played our game, relying on [Costa] to keep it close and help her out by scoring just enough to win,” said first-year head coach Brendan Kelleher.

Belmont (15-2-3) will next meet fellow upstarts Archbishop Williams (11-10-2) from Braintree in an Elite Eight matchup on Thursday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m., 53 miles from Belmont in far-flung Kingston (which is basically west Duxbury). The 11th-seed “Archies” sent sixth-ranked Methuen packing, 2-1, on a late goal Saturday.

Saturday’s game was decided in the initial 15 minutes as Belmont withstood a continuous onslaught from the quick Warrior forwards. But it was Belmont’s approach to Lincoln/Sudbury’s overtly-aggressive game plan that proved to be the Warriors’ undoing.

Belmont’s first goal came courtesy of senior co-Capt. Lola Rocci on the power play as she slotted a Gigi Mastrangelo pass by L/S eighth grade goalie Lauren Kennedy to level the score at one.

Belmont’s Lola Rocci circling the L/S net during the team’s 4-1 upset victory

With less than 90 seconds remaining in the period, Belmont struck for a pair. Despite defending a Belmont power play, the Warriors kept pushing players into the Belmont end. But when the Warriors lost the puck in the neutral zone, second line seniors Mia Taylor and Ruby Jones jumped to create a two-on-one counter with Taylor capping the break with the game winner.

“it was just keeping that intensity up no matter who’s on the ice … and always go for it and that created the goal” said Taylor.

And it wouldn’t be a Belmont game without an outstanding solo rush and goal by Marauders’ leading scorer, senior center Maddie Driscoll, who hit the back of the net while shorthanded in the dying seconds of the opening frame to leave the ice leading 3-1.

Up by two with a half hour to play, Lincoln/Sudbury kept the pressured on Belmont’s back line and Costa yet the Marauder defensive pairs – with a great deal of assistance from the forwards – withstood each Warrior rush without surrendering ice in front of the Belmont goal and pushing Warrior forwards outside the slot so shots were taken from a safe distance.

“We were told ahead of time they had an aggressive forecheck,” said senior co-Capt. Aislin Devaney. “Our defense did a really good job blocking shots, getting the puck out, and keeping bodies on them which made it easy for [Costa] to make saves.”

Through it all, Costa was as cold as the ice surface making save after save, leaving Lincoln Sudbury players slamming their sticks onto the ice in frustration or looking to the heavens for Divine Intervention that never came.

“A lot of practice just [having a] laser focus on the puck and … just make the save,” said Costa.

Belmont’s Evie Long (second from right) scoring the fourth goal of the game late in the third

It was left up to sophomore Evie Long to put a ribbon on the upset. After receiving a pinpoint drop pass from Driscoll, the winger scooped up her own rebound and backhanded Belmont’s fourth tally high into the net with four minutes left in the game.

“We’re keeping the rink open,” said assistant coach Josh Gilonna, borrowing a phrase used by Belmont Boys’ Hockey during a recent deep run in the tournament. “We’re going to play again.”