Belmont Field Hockey Returns To Form, Defeats Newton North, 5-1, In Playoff Opener

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Photo: Belmont’s Kendall Regan slots in her second goal as Avery Ranold who assists watches in its 5-1 victory in the opening round of the 2025 MIAA Division 1 playoffs.

It was all treats on Halloween Friday as forwards sophomore Kendall Regan and junior Gigi Mastrangelo each scored a brace to go along with senior co-captain Mackenzie Clarke (1 goal, 1 assist) netting her 93rd career goal to see 6th-ranked Belmont comfortably set aside 27th-seed Newton North, 5-1, in a first-round match in the MIAA Division 1 tournament contested in gusty conditions on the Harris Field pitch.

The Marauders (16-3-0) advance to the Sweet 16 to host 22nd-ranked Wachusett Regional (8-9-2) on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. for a rematch of a contentious contest in the 2022 tourney in which a Belmont player left the field in an ambulance after being hit by an errant stick. (Note: she was OK). Wachusett will be looking for consecutive upsets after upending 11th-seed Natick, 1-0, in overtime.

Belmont junior Gigi Mastrangelo scored twice against Newton North

After finishing the regular season with two narrow 1-0 decisions and a pair of losses to Top-10 tournament teams – Winchester (5th in Div. 1) and Dover-Sherburn (3rd in Div. 3) – the Marauders returned to its midseason form against the Tigers, highlighted by stellar passing from the back with co-captains senior Niamh Lesnik and junior Elsie Lakin-Schultz (1 assist) bookending first-year defensive standout Kate Townsend with senior Caroline French as sweeper fronting sophomore keeper Zoe Bruce.

“I think we’re moving the ball much better. We’re not trying to do it all with just one person,” said Belmont’s long-time Head Coach Jess Smith about the marked improvement in her team’s play. “The passing tonight was phenomenal. Each goal was pass, pass, pass, than a pass in, and a quick shot on the net. We were working on that at practice and we have been working on communicating and both things made the difference.”

Belmont junior co-captain Elsie Lakin-Schultz

Clarke, Belmont’s all time scoring leader (92 goals, 73 assists for 165 points), was a controlling factor in the midfield working with sophomore Mia Smith, Natalie Merrow, Nina Sheth-Voss and Nora Dolan (2 assists). Forwards Roisin Reavey (1 assist), Amelia Long and 12-player Avery Ranold (1 assist) were inside the shooting circle. The most threatening of the Marauders attack were wings Regan on the tricky left side and Mastrangelo down the right.

With most of the first quarter possession and playing inside the Newton North side of the pitch, the only question was if Belmont could end its late season scoring deficit. That occurred when Regan would redirect a pass laying at the goalies boot into the net midway through the first 15 minutes. Later in the quarter, Mastrangelo doubled the lead with a shot from five yards out. Belmont would continue its domination and up its lead to three as Regan took a baseline pass from Ranold to easily slot the ball into the back of the net to put her into double digits for goals scored this season.

Belmont sophomore Kendall Regan scored her 10th goal of the season vs Newton North

The Tigers would have its most prolong possession in the third quarter yet Belmont would secure a four goal advantage via Clarke who fired her trademark reverse bullet into the right side of the net with five and a half minutes remaining in the quarter.

Newton North would score from a fluky play as a shot from Tiger’s Alexis Blanchfield deflected high into the air and floated over Bruce before bouncing just inside the box. But Mastrangelo would have the final word with her second tally late in the final quarter.

The Brian Trust

“This game we had a lot more energy in the [attacking] circle,” said Mastrangelo, who scored her 16th and 17th goals of the season, only trailing Clarke’s 26. [See Mastrangelo’s second goal here]

“This is the start we wanted for the playoffs,” said Smith.

Tuesday will mark the second time the Marauders and the Mountaineers will meet in the Sweet 16, with Wachusett sweeping aside Belmont, 4-0, in 2022.

“We have some tough history up there on a very cold, windy night, on the night that the override didn’t pass. And one of my players came off the field in an ambulance so it’s a revenge game, for sure,” said Smith. “I don’t know how many of the same kids are there [for Wachusett] but I was there and so was Mackenzie.”

Belmont Girls’ Hoops Host Newton North Tigers In Opening Round Of Division 1 State Tourney Friday

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Photo: Belmont High Junior Sophia McClendon (center) in action vs. Woburn

In its preview of the MIAA girl’s state tournament, the Boston Globe noted that the best first-round matchup in Division 1 will be 18th-ranked Newton North (12-8) at No. 15 Belmont (13-7) at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28. 

And why not think that? The Belmont High Girls are entering its third consecutive playoff run after a solid season finishing second in the Middlesex League Liberty behind 19-1 Woburn and earning a home game in the post-season. And for four-year head coach Shantell Jeter, the match will be her third attempt at winning her first playoff game since taking the helm. 

Newton North has had nearly identical records and power rankings as Belmont for the past three years. With similar game scoring (Newton North at 52 points per game), the game will likely be a nick-and-tuck affair, so fans can expect to stay until the final buzzer. 

“The girls have been improving through the season and I have been asking them to keep the intensity on,” said Jeter. “We’ve been looking towards the playoffs so we can’t let up. 

The Marauders scored an impressive 54 points per game average behind senior co-captain forward Linda Sheng and league all-star and co-captain junior true forward Sophia McClendon, averaging double figures. 

Joining the scoring pair include first-year youngster Sarah Geller and junior Sophia Pang, who play in the more traditional guard positions and are the keys to Jeter’s high-pressure person-to-person defense. 

Belmont Volleyball Falls To Powerhouse Newton North In Sectional Finals

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Photo: Belmont High Volleyball Captains (from left) Leah Barbroudi, Jane Mahon and Mindee Lai along with Athletic Director Jim Davis and Head Coach Jen Couture with the runners up trophy.

At least the Belmont High School volleyball team could smile coming off the court at Wellesley High School early Saturday morning, Nov. 10. 

In the team’s historic season – a record 18 wins and a place in the Central East Division 1 sectional finals – the players and coaches have met a number of very good teams. On Saturday, they met a program that has dominated the Central East for more than a decade. Number one seed Newton North, who just happened to be last year’s Division 1 state champions, had won six consecutive sectional titles and was looking for its seventh against the Marauders.

“We knew it would be a challenge,” said Head Coach Jen Couture. “They are simply a great team.” 

After an impressive 3-1 set victory over second seed North Quincy in Wednesday’s semifinals, Couture believed her team had to transition its strengths on the defensive side of the ledger to scoring quickly against a Tiger team that brought back most of last year’s state title team.

And while Belmont had its moments, especially in the third set led by setter Mindee Lai and senior middle Jane Mahon, the power and skills built into the Tigers DNA was far too much for the Marauders to overcome as Belmont fell to Newton North, 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-15), in a display of power and tactics.

The one person on Newton North who dominated the match was senior Ashley Wang, a strong and tall player who was not only adept at the net where she was deadly with her kill attempts but also quick on defense. Her service game was “on” in the first set when she went on an eight-point run to take the Tigers from a 7-4 lead to a 15-4 advantage. Wang’s skill to drive serves to vacant spots on the floor forced Belmont to place four players on the back line.

Joining Wang in pushing Belmont was senior Chelsea Simmons – who is a teammate with Wang and three other Tigers on a successful Newton-based AAU-type club – who was one of the morning’s most impressive blockers, while stepping in as setter and taking the ball down the line as an opposite hitter. 

Belmont did demonstrate a strong defensive game but the offense was hampered by the Tigers dominate front three which threw up walls of blockers against Belmont. 

The Tigers built an early second set lead at 7-2 and stretched it to 16-5, Belmont began putting up some effective blocking, including senior Gabby Viale stopping Wang one-on-one at the net. But Newton North was too strong on the offense, always looking for the quick kill. 

After going down 11-4 in the third, Belmont started its best rally chipping away with some strong net play to reduce the lead to 16-13 after a big block by Mahon and 17-14 from a Viale floater that just dropped inside the line. But once again, Newton North had so many options to go on a seven point run to extend the lead to 24-15. The final point found Belmont tied up in the net and Newton North getting ready to take on undefeated Lawrence in the state semifinals.

“[Newton North] was a fun team to play. It was the best serving we’ve seen all year,” said Couture. “By the third set, we showed them why we are here. But ultimately, we were overpowered as they were hitting to great spots to beat us.” 

Couture said reaching a sectional final should be a great motivator for future players in the program.

“No more should Belmont just settle with making the state tourament but to see us winning championships. I hope this game opens doors at some point where we no longer look at ourselves as underdogs,” she said.

Snakebit: Belmont Girls’ Lacrosse Finds it Hard to Reach Win Column

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Photo: Belmont High School Girls’ Lacrosse 

Belmont High School Girls’ Lacrosse Head Coach Aimee Doherty knows her team is just that one … something so it can begin being on the right side of the win/loss column.

But every time it appears that the team has come close to solving the issues at hand, the team ends up looking at another defeat. 

It’s not like the Marauders are being skunked in each game. In the three previous games before its game against Newton North Saturday, April 25, Belmont was in the game until the final horn blast, before falling to Lexington (19-16), Reading (15-11) and Arlington (13-12). 

“Overall, we’ve been playing really hard and really well,” said Doherty, whose team has seven seniors and eight juniors. “But in the last two games, we’ve been missing half of our team which five are starters so that’s had a huge impact on our play.” 

On Saturday, the Marauders could have used as much fire power against a talented Div. 1 squad, ending up on the short side of a 16-5 loss.

Key players this year have been seniors Sophia Eschenbach-Smith and Elena Bragg along with juniors AnnMarie Habelow (2 goals Saturday), Katherine McCarthy (also 2 goals) and Kerri Lynch.

“The three biggest things we need to focus on which will help turn our game around are getting possession of ground balls, winning the draws (which occurs after every score) which is really hurting us and placing our shots. We are shooting at the right time but not hitting the right spots on goal,” said Doherty.