QUINCY — As Maddie McDonald strolled out of the hallowed hallways of Veterans Stadium on Wednesday, she knew she and her teammates were going to have to play one of their best games of the season. The Clippers had no shortage of motivation, standing across the field was the team that knocked them out of the postseason in 2022.
Despite all the surrounding narratives, they were able to send a statement to the Commonwealth. McDonald finished with a hat trick, including the game-clinching goal late in regulation, as No. 6 Norwell kept its miraculous run going by knocking off reigning Div. 3 girls lacrosse champion Medfield with a thrilling 10-9 victory over the second seed.
“From the beginning of the season, this is what we’ve been working for,” said McDonald. “To see it actually come true and happen, we put so much work into it, it just feels amazing. Everyone is so happy, and I just love this team. It means the world.”
This will mark the first trip to a state championship for Norwell (19-4) since 2018, when it captured the Div. 2 title (a 12-10 win over Bromfield). The Clippers also defeated a Medfield team that ousted them last season in the Round of 8 exactly one calendar year prior (a 12-5 loss last June 14).
Norwell would jump out to a stunning 3-0 lead just 1:54 into action. Holly Panttila sniped a pair of goals, while McDonald added one herself to get things started.
The Clippers also made a concerted effort to neutralize Medfield (20-4) standout Kelly Blake in the early stages. Easier said than done, however. The junior captain buried three unanswered goals, as the Warriors evened the score at 3-all with 16:45 to play in the first half.
The see-saw battle would continue right up until intermission. Shortly after Reese Stoddard netted her second goal to provide Norwell a 6-4 lead, Medfield staged a last-minute offensive rush, looking for a strike. The Warriors were actually able to get a point-blank shot on net with about three seconds left in the frame, only to watch sophomore goaltender Charlotte Pithie stonewall the attempt to preserve the lead.
“It was not going to go in on my watch,” Pithie said. “I knew I had to save that. Everybody’s cheering really got me excited, and I just knew I had to (make the save).”
Norwell started the second half in a similar fashion with a 3-1 scoring run. Panttila added an insurance tally, making it a 9-5 game with 17:56 left in regulation.
Then, the Warriors rallied once again. Blake sniped her fourth goal with 13:32 left, cutting it to a 9-8 contest.
Yet, when the Clippers were reeling, McDonald delivered. With 6:44 remaining, the senior drew a free position shot, then buried it to put her team ahead 10-8. While Medfield cut it to a one-goal game with 50 seconds left off a shot by Maeve Kelly, the hill was too steep for the Warriors to scale. Charlise Cox won a late draw to seal the win for Norwell.
Panttila also added a hat trick for Norwell.
“It’s very difficult to make it this far,” said Norwell coach Kara Connerty. “The competition is improving with each year. I just think it’s harder to get back to a state semifinal, or a final. I think these girls are really just so determined to get there, and to be standing on June 17.”