UXBRIDGE – The last time two-time reigning Div. 1 state champion Walpole had lost in field hockey was 47 games ago.
The last time it lost by more than one goal was 71 games ago. And the last time it lost by a hefty margin was back in 2017, when Rhode Island powerhouse Moses Brown walloped it by five.
Well, with a three-goal third quarter, along with standout defensive play to limit the No. 2 Porkers’ (10-1) typical damage in transition, top-ranked Uxbridge (10-0) rolled out a 6-1 win Friday afternoon to further show off its strength as a juggernaut.
Senior Julianna Casucci (two goals, assist) scored her second goal less than three minutes into the second half, igniting the third-quarter surge that wiped away a tight first half. Senior Amelia Blood added a goal (stroke) and two assists, while three others scored for the Spartans.
“They’re the Division 1 defending state champs and they have a great roster, and a lot of respectful, highly-skilled players,” said Uxbridge head coach Kelly Rosborough. “So, I definitely was anticipating a really good game. … As always, the gas is on the pedal. (We) got a conditioning test today. So I think that exposed a little bit of, was that an area we need to focus on too? But it was great that they got the opportunity to play as long as they did with all that hustle and grit.”
The matchup drew widespread anticipation across the state, and the hype came as advertised in a competitive first half.
Both teams used the full field and moved the ball well, splitting possession time inside opposing defensive 25s. Uxbridge used six corners in the first quarter to help it strike first, though, keeping pressure up for several stretches. Amelia Blood sent a hard sweep into the circle dead-on on one, and Casucci tipped it in for a 1-0 lead.
Only a couple minutes passed before Walpole responded, as it used its flash transitions to get behind the defense. Kate Schneider ripped a shot of the pads of Uxbridge goalie Julia Okenquist, and Caroline Handwerk followed the rebound for the neutralizer. The Spartans went on to finish the half with a 2-1 lead after Amelia Blood’s goal on a stroke in the second quarter, but a 6-3 shots-on-goal lead showed a slim advantage as Walpole limited shots from a potent attack.
Corners continued to rack up for the Spartans, though, and they used one for Amelia Blood to set up Casucci for her second goal and the 3-1 lead. Walpole struggled to gain the attacking 25 as Uxbridge shut down transitions and marked up well, and Addie Blood followed a broken corner with a perfect reverse chip for a 4-1 lead late in the frame. Two minutes later, Brooklyn Kaferlein’s goal on Audrey Bouchard’s assist made it 5-1.
“It’s a variety of players (doing the damage),” Kelly Rosborough said. “No one player in the third quarter. A forward, a mid, and a mid, with some assists. So again, no one is doing it alone, different people are showing up at different times. And I think that’s what makes them so special and hard to defend.”
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