TURNER — The Leavitt field hockey team knows it will need to improve its play in the playoffs.
The Hornets survived the last test of the regular season Wednesday, defeating Maranacook 3-0 on senior day.
“It’s an emotional day for the seniors,” Leavitt coach Wanda Ward-McLean said. “Between the parents, grandparents, whoever else is here for them, it’s an emotional time for them. It’s not like football, where you can go out and just smack someone.”
While Leavitt (11-3) celebrated its 10 seniors before the game, it took them a while to get into the game and finish offensive chances.
“That’s one thing we need to work on for the playoffs, is finishing things in the circle,” Ward-McLean said. “Today, we did a lot of standing and watching. We can’t let that happen in the playoffs.”
Jazzlynn Clark, one of the 10 seniors, said she knows the team can play better.
“I really don’t know what’s going on with us right now,” Clark said. “We definitely can play better and have played better. There are a few things I think we have to work better, just as a team, and we should be (all) set.”
The Black Bears (2-10-2) controlled the play for the first eight minutes of the first quarter but couldn’t get a shot past Hornets goalie Lilly Chabot (two saves).
Maranacook has struggled offensively this fall.
“Scoring is something we have been working on,” Maranacook junior varsity coach Kianna Pushard said.
Pushard was the acting varsity coach Wednesday as varsity head coach Ashley Work couldn’t make the game due to a work obligation.
After Maranacook’s first penalty corner, Leavitt flipped the field and Cierra Barker found Clark at the far post. Clark then tapped the ball in with about five minutes remaining in the first quarter.
“It felt really good, and I feel as a team, when we get one goal, it gives us the motivation to keep working for it and not giving up,” Clark said. “With the support the team provides, it just feels even better (to score).”
The Hornets continued to put shots on Black Bears goalie Esme Jamison (nine saves), but she stopped all the chances.
“She’s pretty awesome, that’s for sure,” Pushard said of Jamison. “She has done really well throughout the season and really has saved us on a lot of occasions.”
Leavitt, which held that 1-0 lead at halftime, dominated possession in the third quarter and worked the ball into the circle. The Hornets had four corners in the quarter, but Maranacook clamped down defensively and cleared the ball out of danger.
“We work a lot on just possessing the ball and making sure we are carrying it out of the circle, instead of hitting and hoping,” Pushard said. “I think our defense does a good job executing that throughout the entire season.”
Maddie Morin extended the Hornets’ lead to 2-0 in the fourth quarter when Ally Langlois sent the ball into the circle and Morin battled through Black Bears defenders to get a shot off.
Clark jammed home her second goal with about three minutes remaining in the game after Jamison stopped the previous two shots.
“For me, I think about the team and how bad the team wants it, which makes me want it more,” Clark said. “I feel like if I give up — not necessarily (my teammates) are going to — but maybe if I give up, they are going to give. I try to stick with it.”
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