Source of Article:  http://www.townonline.com/dover/schoolSports/

Raiders' quest stops at semis
By Tom Wilcox/ Metrowest Daily News
Wednesday, November 23, 2005

BROCKTON - It was no consolation to Dover-Sherborn coach Francis Okaroh in the aftermath of Thursday's loss in the Division 3 state semifinal, but with such a young team making a deep run in the tournament, the Raiders are on the cusp of becoming the elite girls soccer programs in the area.
 

     They were just hoping to reach the top tier a little bit faster.
 
     Hamilton-Wenham scored a goal in each half and held off a late Dover-Sherborn rally to win the Division 3 Eastern Massachusetts title, 2-1, at Marciano Stadium. The Generals, however, fell to Hopedale in Saturday's state final, 2-1.
 
     "We didn't come to play," said Okaroh, who took the girls soccer team further than it had ever been in school history. "The extra days off cost us. We played Saturday and then we play again on Thursday? It doesn't make sense."
 
     Dover-Sherborn's last game was a 2-0 win over Archbishop Williams in Saturday's Division 3 South final. The state semifinal was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was pushed back to last night after Tuesday's slate of games was postponed by bad weather.
 
     "I'm not going to take anything away from Hamilton-Wenham, but I do know that my team looked rusty," said Okaroh. "When you go into the playoffs and somebody takes your momentum away by taking too many days off, it affects the quality of play. They played on Sunday, we played on Saturday. One day is a big deal in the playoffs."
 
     "My girls questioned why the game had been moved, but they will step out onto any field and just take it to their opponent," said first-year Hamilton-Wenham coach Stephanie Smyrl, who has also taken her school further than it's ever been. "I don't think there was a whole lot of difference between the two teams. I think that my girls finally realized that they can continue to win and they're playing with confidence."


Dover-Sherborn’s Audrey Benjamin and Hamilton-Wenham’s Colleen Splaine battle on the sidelines during last Thursday’s state semifinals. (Photo by John J. Crookes)
     The Generals broke the ice on a frigid night 15 minutes into the first half as freshman Bianca Vecchiarello took a pass from Candice Dangora, made a move up the left side and then cut inside the Dover-Sherborn defense. She shot top left corner and into the net
The Raiders (13-9-1) shook off the opening jitters and seem to posses the ball for most of the final minutes of the half, but were unable to score and trailed 1-0 at halftime.
 
     The teams played to a stalemate for the first 30 minutes of the second half. Dover-Sherborn's best scoring chance came in the 63rd minute when senior captain Melissa Landa fired a shot from the right side to the top left corner, but was denied by a great leaping save by Generals goalie Hailee Lowe.
 
     "Hailee always steps up for us," said Smyrl. "She comes out of nowhere to make saves, and it is probably every game that she comes up with a save that is just incredible. She definitely keeps the team in a lot of games."
 
     Midway through the half, Hamilton-Wenham's Katie Splaine was helped off the field with a leg injury. The junior returned minutes later and made a big impact. Off a corner kick from senior Courtney Penta, Splaine headed the ball past Raiders freshman goalie Caitlin Connors, giving Hamilton-Wenham a 2-0 lead with just over seven minutes remaining.
 
     Dover-Sherborn responded a minute-and-a-half later as freshman sweeper Audrey Benjamin took a free kick at about the 25; it rocketed off the crossbar. Junior midfielder Kelsey Schreiner, rushing the net, managed to collect the rebound close to the net, redirect the ball and put it in past a crowd of defenders and the goalie. capitalized on a loose ball in front of the net, making it 2-1. The Raiders did everything they could in the final minutes, but the Hamilton-Wenham defense stood its ground and held on for the victory.
 
     "We are good enough to be in the championship this year," said Okaroh, who also took issue with the way the game was officiated. "I don't care about the history of the program. That's not why I coach. I respect [Hamilton-Wenham], they are champions, they beat us. But the circumstances weren't right to me.
 
     "I told the girls that the feeling they have now, keep it, don't lose it. Maybe that will be the benchmark for us to come back next year. It's a game, somebody has to win, somebody has to lose. You just don't want that person who loses to be you."
Still, Okaroh does know that most of this year's D-S team will be back next year, meaning the Raiders could go deep into the tournament again.
 
     "I'm not happy. They're not happy," said Okaroh. "But they are a good young group and they'll get over it. We have only three seniors, so it's all good."
 
     In the girls soccer story which appeared on page 17 in the Thursday, Nov. 17, edition, it was Kelsey Schreiner who took the initial shot on Dover-Sherborn's first goal, with a rebound and score by Sarah Cullen.