BOSTON — Caroline Doherty was up to her usual tricks.
Hingham’s senior captain got the puck deep in her own zone and motored the length of the rink, blowing by the defense to get in alone on Bishop Stang freshman goalie Vivienne Melo. Doherty pulled to her forehand and reached around Melo to tuck the go-ahead goal for the No. 1 Harborwomen just 56 seconds into the second period.
It was all Hingham after as they took down the No. 15 Spartans, 5-2, to win their third state title and first since 2011. Doherty finished with a natural hat trick, and senior captain Addy Garrity had a goal and an assist. Sophomore Izzi Puleo earned the win in net.
Sophomore forwards Isa Rioux and Ashley Smith scored for Bishop Stang.
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Rioux opened the scoring late in the first period on the power play. Puleo made the initial save on a shot from the point, and the rebound dropped right to Olivia Medieros in front, who dished to Rioux wide-open in the slot. Rioux made no mistake, burying it into the open cage.
It didn't take long for Hingham to answer.
Sophomore forward Callie Crean curled around the net and found sophomore Hannah Lasch in the slot. Melo saved Lasch's initial shot, but Lasch buried her own rebound to tie it, 1-1, with 3:09 left in the first.
Shortly after making it 2-1 early in the second, Doherty added insurance on the power play as her seeing-eye wrister from the point beat Melo inside the left post.
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She completed the hat trick with 4:17 left in regulation, dangling a defender in the corner before catching Melo cheating off the short-side post. Garrity made it 5-1 with 46 seconds left, going top shelf from the right dot.
Smith cut it to 5-2 with 25 seconds left when her shot from the left circle squeezed through Hingham junior goalie Izzy McGarr.
Here are some quick takeaways from the game:
1. Of course it was Doherty showing out with a hat trick. You just knew the MIAA's most prolific scorer would leave her mark on the championship game. After several Grade-A looks in the first and early in the second, it was a matter of time until she broke through. The Holy Cross commit, who will do a postgrad season in the NEPSAC, finishes her MIAA career with 152 goals and 234 points.
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2. Hingham had some frantic moments around the crease early in the first before Stang eventually opened the scoring, but they got to their game defensively and limited opportunities for the Spartans. A hat tip to CC Flynn who played the entirety of a critical third-period penalty kill. The Harborwomen's ability to settle in defensively, combined with their forward depth proved the difference. Lasch and Crean were two of the best players on the ice.
3. The final score doesn't indicate it, but Melo was fantastic for the Spartans. She was sharp from the jump and came up with key saves as Hingham dominated possession early. One of her best saves came in the second as she robbed Doherty on the doorstep with the game still tied, 1-1. Junior forward Katie Teague fed Doherty in front, and it looked like the redirect was destined for twine. Melo made a huge push to her left and robbed Doherty with the glove.
4. Stang got the start it needed. They weathered an early barrage of chances for Hingham, thanks to some big-time saves by Melo, and got the early goal. Hingham just wore them down, whether it was Doherty, Lasch, Crean, Garrity, Richardson and more.
