MARLBORO, Mass. — Once Lovell Academy broke through, the floodgates opened.
After having no answer for Assabet goalie Ines Khamis (Worcester, Mass.) for much of the first two-plus periods, the Lions piled up three straight goals in the third period to win the 16U Massachusetts girls state championship over Assabet, 3-1, at the New England Sports Center on Sunday.
With the win, Lovell earned a bid to USA Hockey Nationals, which will be April 1-6, 2025, at the NESC.
Sydney Stoughton, Mirella Martinelli (North Providence, R.I.) and Emily Macaulay scored for the Lions, and Peyton Scott (Hanover, Mass.) earned the win in net. Annabelle Lovell (Hingham, Mass.) had a pair of assists.
Molly Bardol (Walpole, Mass.) scored for Assabet.
Bardol opened the scoring when Julia Lambert (Wilmington, Mass.) set her up for a one-timer at the right circle on a 5-on-3 power play with 3:32 left in the first.
From there, Lovell turned up the pressure but couldn't solve Khamis until Stoughton tied it with 7:37 left in regulation when she picked the top left corner.
With 2:43 to go and Assabet scrambling, Martinelli came through, firing a wrist shot to the top left corner through a screen to give Lovell a 2-1 lead.
Macaulay scored on an empty net from the neutral zone with 1:01 left for the 3-1 final.
Here are eight standouts from the game.
