Medfield Ousted by Norwell in State Tournament for 4th Time Since 2006

Katie Ott’s somber expression said it all as the Medfield senior walked slowly across the MHS turf after Friday’s 9-8 loss to Norwell in the quarterfinal round of the MIAA Division 2 South Sectional Girls’ Lacrosse State Tournament – Medfield’s season was over.

Norwell, the defending Division 2 South Sectional State Champions, ended the Warriors’ season in the tournament for the fourth time since 2006.

The Clippers defeated Medfield in the semi-final round of the 2010 tournament, going on to win the Division 2 South Sectional and ended the Warriors’ title hopes in the quarterfinal round in 2006, 2007 and Friday.

“We got an unlucky draw [playing Norwell] but we can’t blame it on that,” said Medfield head coach Jason Heim. “You got to play the best eventually and eventually if we were on the other side of the bracket we would play them or we would play Duxbury – in one sentence it doesn’t really matter. We knew that they played a zone from last year and we worked on stuff to beat the zone so we came in prepared. I thought we did everything right so I’m not going to look back disappointed.”

Heim said this was a game that got away from his team.

“We had some costly turnovers,” said Medfield head coach Jason Heim. “In the second half we threw the ball away a couple of times, forced some shots, hit the goalie. If we put a couple in I think the complexity of the game would have been a little bit different.”

Medfield led Norwell 6-4 at halftime and controlled the tempo for the majority of the first 25 minutes but the Clippers fed off the momentum they found late in the first half and took over in the second.

Norwell opened the second half with three straight goals to take a 7-6 lead with 14:05 remaining in regulation. Medfield responded after a timeout with a goal from Isabelle Hackett to tie the score at seven but Norwell regained the lead with 11:11 remaining and netted the eventual game-winner with just over five minutes to go. 

“Right up until the end, the girls fought hard,” Heim said. “We were down two and it could have been down three but we got it to one and then to even have an opportunity three times to tie it up with possession – they did a great job. They were definitely one of the most talented teams [in program history].”

Medfield found breaks in Norwell’s zone defense in the final two minutes and gained possession in the offensive zone but could not get a quality shot on net after Medfield’s Emily Zlevor scored her third goal of the game to pull the Warriors’ within one (9-8) with 3:41 remaining.

“Whenever you play [against] a zone [defense] it’s going to be a low scoring affair,” Heim said. “We knew that coming in. I think most of our goals were actually in transition than from attacking the zone. We had our openings against the zone and we just had some bad turnovers.”

Medfield senior captain Kate Wasley scored three goals and Hackett added two for the Warriors. Norwell contained Ott, undoubtedly Medfield’s best offensive player, to no goals and no assists. Maddie Ward led the Clippers with four goals.

Medfield, the bracket’s number one seed, was disappointed with the early postseason exit but Friday’s result did not define the Warriors’ season, according to Heim.

“The girls probably had one of their most historic seasons [in program history],” he said. “First time they were the number one seed and the best we have ever done in the TVL. Even though we are getting knocked out in the quarters, it doesn’t represent the kind of season we had.”

Norwell, the bracket’s eighth seed, advances to the semifinal round, where it will play fifth seeded Duxbury on Tuesday, June 7.

Medfield ends its season with a 17-3 record.

“I told them at the beginning this is anyone’s game,” Heim said. “It’s why we are here to play. The same thing with the other top teams. Any top team can take any other team out at any time. It just wasn’t our day [Friday].”