Intensity fizzles as Hopedale field hockey falls to Sutton in CMADA Class C final

WORCESTER - The Hopedale High field hockey team's aggression could only last so long.

The Blue Raiders poured everything they had into a double-overtime, shootout-decided Central Mass Athletic Directors Association Class C semifinal against Notre Dame Academy on Thursday. That didn't leave much for Monday's final against top-seeded Sutton at Foley Field.

No. 2 Hopedale's early goal gave way to two Sutton scores in the second half and a 2-1 Sammies victory.

"We came out super aggressive, and we usually don't. I had them coming out super hard at the beginning, and I think they just sort of wilted," Hopedale coach Shelley Hynes said. "Quite honestly they were beaten, bruised and sore from that."

The Blue Raiders' aggression worked for a while. They held the ball in Sutton's end and converted a penalty corner in the final minute of the opening quarter for a 1-0 lead. Hopedale's Lexi Carroll collected a pass from Emma Gosselin near the top of the circle and slotted it into the far corner.

"They needed to bring it. I think they did bring it," Hynes said." They just gotta keep it for four quarters."

Hopedale's lead lasted barely two minutes into the third quarter. Sutton earned one of its 11 penalty corners, and Camryn Kinne tied it up with 13:43 on the clock.

"We've already played them twice this season, and we know what kind of team they are. We've been able to come from behind all year, long, so we know we have it in us," Kinne said. "We knew we we're not gonna let it go that easy, not in the first quarter. From there, there was no going back."

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Sutton picked up penalty corner after penalty corner in the third quarter, pinning Hopedale in its own net for 2:45 at one point and running five attempts. None found the corner of the net though. The Sammies set up a perfect play as the third quarter clock expired but missed two swings at a go-ahead goal as the ball skirted harmlessly out of bounds.

"They can stand and hold a defense. They probably could have got four or five goals off us that third quarter," Hynes said. "My team doesn't give up, they keep at it."

Kinne eventually broke through with 5:52 left in the game. She looped a high shot over the Hopedale defense from, of course, a penalty corner. Hopedale goalie Lizzie Brytowski knocked it out of the air, but the ball slipped by into the back of the net for a 2-1 final.

"Honestly it's just putting it on net and hoping it goes in myself or somebody's there for the tip," Kinne said. "You never know what can happen. it hits one stick awkwardly, and it goes in."

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The Blue Raiders generated chances in the final few minutes and were awarded a crucial penalty corner with 1:38 remaining, but they couldn't crack the Hopedale defense again.

The Sammies regained the Class C crown after falling to Notre Dame in last year's final.

Both teams will be among the top teams in the Division 4 statewide tournament once those brackets are released Tuesday. Sutton was ranked third, while Hopedale was No. 5 in Friday's update.

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"We're gonna play each other again if we can get past the first couple rounds," Hynes said.

Contact Kyle Grabowski at kgrabowski@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @kylegrbwsk.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Sutton surges past Hopedale field hockey for CMADA Class C title