ARLINGTON – Ahead of its first state tournament game in three years, the Acton-Boxboro girls hockey team – per eighth-grader Laila Randolph’s original suggestion – turned off the lights in the locker room Wednesday night and put on Disney’s famously depicted “Miracle” speech that USA hockey coach Herb Brooks gave to the 1980 men’s Olympic ice hockey team that stunned the Soviet Union.
A perfect inspiration for an underdog, and one that partly energized the No. 20 Revolution (16-5-3) to a 2-1 upset win over No. 13 Arlington Catholic in the Div. 1 first-round at Ed Burns Arena.
Sophomore Alexis Maranian potted the game-winner on a 5-on-3 power play with 7:09 left, pairing with a stellar 28-save showing from sophomore goalie Gigi Welch to help Acton-Boxboro advance.
“We were all excited about (watching the speech),” Welch said. “I think it’s really about that you worked so hard to be here. Showing up to play and working hard through it all is really important in these kinds of situations. There’s a lot of stress and pressure. Our past two games weren’t so good, and we really just saying that doesn’t matter, we should just focus on what’s ahead of us right now.”
That stress and pressure presented itself in a down-to-the-wire finish.
Acton-Boxboro had taken a 1-0 lead in the second on Riley Bergeron’s goal, only for several waves of Arlington Catholic pressure to finally cash in on Kate Frawley’s game-tying goal early in the third.
After leading Div. 1 in goals scored in the regular season, the Revolution hadn’t been much used to having just one entering the last 10 minutes. A Cougars’ penalty set up a power play with a quick shot and rebound bid that Elise Holland (30 saves) covered up, and they were whistled again after the play for a cross-check and 1:39 of 5-on-3.
Nine seconds later, Maranian was wide open at the backdoor for the eventual game-winner with 7:09 left.
“I think it just goes back to our philosophy, where we always want to have numbers,” said Acton-Boxboro head coach Joe Marashio. “Today they really bought into it, we had numbers all day long. When we get our chances, we’re usually pretty good.”
Arlington Catholic wasn’t done fighting, continuing to generate some good looks on Welch. After pulling the goalie with under a minute left, it then got a 6-on-4 power play with 29 seconds left.
Welch and the defense held off the Cougars.
“I was pretty anxious,” Welch said. “You have to hope a little bit. I prayed before this game. I prayed during the game. It’s just, I don’t know. I know my team has a lot of grit, so I think deep down I knew we were going to push through.”
The win further strengthens an impressive turnaround for the program, which missed the playoffs last year at 7-11-2, and in 2024 at 8-12. It made it in 2023, but with a 2-20 record.
“I think the girls kind of came together throughout the season and started playing for each other,” Marashio said. “They’ve just grown as hockey players and (are) understanding more that it’s not an individual effort, it’s a team effort.”
