MEDFIELD – When your team’s top players are in a rhythm, it’s best to stick with them.
Westwood’s girls lacrosse team has been on a roll and the Wolverines decided to follow the same game plan Thursday.
Quinnipiac commit Charlotte DeMaio turned in a career performance with eight goals. Meanwhile, Hofstra commit Cecelia Thurmond added four goals and a pair of assists as Westwood (9-0) remained undefeated with an impressive 18-10 win over Medfield.
“We trust, obviously, the ball in (DeMaio’s) stick,” said Westwood coach Margot Spatola. “Even if she makes little mistakes here and there, she is still in the plus-column. She’s all over the place offensively, but she’s talking defensively. She’s helping some of our underclassmen. She’s awesome.”
Prior to the game, Westwood had risen to the No. 2 slot in the Herald’s girls lacrosse rankings. Medfield was giving chase in seventh. In the early stages of Thursday’s clash, it appeared fans were going to be in for a nail-biter, as the schools traded goals throughout the first half. DeMaio got things going for the Wolverines with the team’s first two goals, while fellow senior captain Caroline Nozzolillo sniped a pair herself as Westwood constructed a 4-2 lead through one quarter.
Medfield (5-2) continued to battle as the second frame panned out, as Izzy Kittredge caught a pass from Kendall Herrick and deposited a shot in the Westwood net to trim the deficit to 7-5 at the break.
However, once the second half kicked off, so too did the Wolverines. Cassidy McMillin and DeMaio struck for consecutive goals, as Westwood watched its lead balloon to 9-5.
“I think we were a little nervous to begin with, just because of last year’s history,” DeMaio said. “I think it all started on the draws. Winning them, being aggressive, and wanting the ball. On our offense, (the key was) holding on to it, taking a minute to breathe, and trusting each other.”
Later on in the third quarter, it was Thurmond’s time to shine, as she potted two straight goals of her own. With 4:25 left in the stanza, the senior took a shot as she fell to the turf, burying it as the lead continued to grow at 11-6.
“I think we wouldn’t have been able to score as many goals, or any at all if it wasn’t for our teammates,” Thurmond said. “With the assists, I think we just work really well together on offense. None of that would have been possible without the teamwork and the chemistry that we have.”
As the final quarter wore on, Westwood closed even stronger. Nozzolillo, DeMaio and Thurmond each tallied two goals apiece in the stanza, as the Wolverines pulled away down the stretch.
Nozzolillo finished with four goals and an assist to aid Westwood in the victory. Kittredge finished with a hat trick and an assist to propel Medfield.
The Wolverines’ schedule doesn’t get any easier. They will face Duxbury next Thursday, before following things up with an interstate matchup against Bishop Guertin of Nashua, N.H
“It feels great,” said Thurmond. “The competition that we have had has been awesome, but I think we’ve all done a great job of maintaining our energy throughout the entire game.”