Schools

Canton Falls in OT Heartbreaker, 5-4, to Host Belmont

Defeat ends great campaign for young Bulldog squad.

Nearly a minute after Belmont's Alexandra Cellucci's goal in sudden-death overtime gave the Belmont High School Marauder's a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Wednesday, Feb. 29, Bulldog's sophomore goaltender Emily Buckleysat slumped in her net as the Belmont team celebrated on their home ice. 

Buckley's disappointment letting in the winning goal was evident as several teammates were needed to prop her and skate her back to the bench.

Yet as Canton's young head coach Kelly Rider said after the game, no one was stopping that shot.

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"It was the perfect shot," said Rider.

Cellucci's goal, coming off a pin-point pass from linemate senior Caroline McCarthy on a two-on-one breakout, sends fifth-ranked Belmont to the quarterfinals of the MIAA Division 2 State Tournament on Sunday. 

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It also ends a great campaign by a Canton team where Buckley and 10 other sophomores and freshmen contributed to a team that won 14 games this season.

"This experience will be great for the younger player," said Rider.

In a game that saw great swings of momentum, Belmont rushed off to a three goal lead midway through the second period as each Marauder line scored in a three minute span.

Belmont's senior assistant captain and second line center Shannon Reynolds, Cellucci and fellow junior Catherine Noone from the third line found the back of the net for the Marauders as 10 Belmont skaters earned a point for a goal or an assist in the game.

But the underdog Canton team, ranked 12th in the Division 2 tournament and lead by three seniors, stormed back to tie the game twice, including the final time with just 1:53 left in regulation.

"Our seniors have been leaders all season long and they stepped up tonight," said Rider.

Canton's senior forward and assistant captain Stephahie Rizzitano scored the first of three consecutive goals from in front of Belmont's junior goalie Megan Foley seconds after Belmont went up 3-0.

Canton got within one when junior Meaghan McKenna netted a pass from senior captain Michelle McNeil streaking down ice after six minutes of play in the third. The Bulldogs completed the comeback as 9th grader Jackie Martin one-timed a shot from the slot after Rizzitano stopped a Belmont clearing pass on the blue line.

It appeared that Belmont had won the game with 3:11 left in regulation when, after relentless pressure in the Bulldog's end, freshman Pauline Ayer took a pass from senior Britta Marden and barely beat Buckley through the pads as the puck bounced lazily into the net.

But a Belmont penalty 40 second later gave the Bulldogs life and senior Haley Gaughan – who led Canton to the Div. 2 South Field Hockey championship where they lost in the state semifinals to Watertown, 4-3, the same Red Raiders team that knocked out Belmont of the state championships in their previous game, 2-1 – scored in close to tie it up for the final time with 1:53 remaining in the game.

"Our seniors didn't want the season to end and they played like it," said Rider.

Belmont had to survive a Bulldog power play – one of five Canton had in the game – in the final seconds in the third and into overtime before McCarthy gathered the puck in her defensive end and skated straight up the center of the ice before sending the puck onto Cellucci's stick. The junior goal scorer - one of the goal leaders for the high-scoring Marauders – rocketed her shot that beat Buckley glove high for the victory.

"We played against one of the best teams in the tournament and we played them even. It showed the character this team has," said Rider.


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