By Riley Fontana
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The Needham Rockets field hockey team took on the Wellesley Raiders in the first round of the State Championship playoffs. Needham fought hard but ultimately Wellesley came out on top 6-0, putting an end to the Rocket's playoff career.
Needham came out strong in the first quarter, with hard defense and strong offense pushing them into scoring territory. Junior Molly Pearlman was inserting herself into Wellesley's plays to stop passes and block balls. The first goal came with 13:10 left in the first, the second at 8:54. Junior Talia Dwyer was a massive force on defense, pushing the opposing team as far as she could.
The second quarter saw Needham turn up the fight, digging in hard to try and score against Wellesley. Senior Victoria Meyerson was another key player in defensive zones, putting pressure on attackers. Needham goalie Senior Caitlin McNeill put up several great saves, laying across the field to keep attackers back. Wellesley was able to sneak through for a third goal putting them up 3-0 before the half.
Needham gave the third quarter their all, pushing themselves into the attacking zone. Freshman Sydney Leibman got between players and fought for control of the ball. Senior Riley Rizzo was strong on the attacking force, pushing through Wellesley's defense. Wellesley scored their fourth goal with just under 11 minutes left to go.
Rizzo and Pearlman played hard in the fourth quarter, trying to quell the Wellesley offense. Despite Needham’s best efforts, Wellesley scored two final goals in the fourth period to win 6-0.
The Needham Rockets field hockey playoff run ended in the first round. The team fought hard all season to make the playoffs and should celebrate making it to the first round. The Rockets will prepare for next season as soon as possible and wish all their seniors good luck in future endeavors.
