By Dan Guttenplan
LYNNFIELD — The Newburyport field hockey team pulled off the upset of the EMass. Division 2 North Tournament to date yesterday.
The 11th-seeded Clippers (10-8-3) beat Cape Ann League foe, third-seeded Lynnfield, 3-2, in the quarterfinal round of the EMass. Division 2 North Tournament at Lynnfield Middle School. It was the second time this season the Pioneers (16-2-2) and Newburyport met. Lynnfield posted a 1-0 victory over the Clippers on September 29.
Cassandra Davis had two goals and an assist for the Clippers, who will the winner of yesterday's quarterfinal matchup between No. 2 Watertown and No. 7 Wilmington in the semifinal round at a date and time to be determined.
"I knew we could hang with Lynnfield after the first time we played them," Newburyport coach Lauren Hefferan said. "They have some of the high scorers in the league, but we played them evenly from a shot standpoint in the first meeting."
The victory prolonged a successful two-year stretch for the Clippers in which they posted a combined record of 24-10-8. Second-year coach Lauren Hefferan brought life to a program that saw four head coaches in four years from 2005 to 2008. In the two years prior to Hefferan's arrival, the Clippers were 9-20-9.
This year's Clippers carried the momentum of a successful campaign last fall, which saw them compete for a CAL Division 1 title until the final week of the regular season. Masconomet eventually won the title, but the Clippers had their highest win total since the 2005 team, which captured a sectional title. Last year's team earned the fourth seed and beat No. 13 Tewksbury in the opening round before falling to fifth-seeded Bishop Fenwick in the quarterfinal round.
This year's Clippers struggled out of the gates, starting 1-3 after losing a large senior class last fall. However, they closed the regular season with victories in their last four games and are now primed to play in their first sectional semifinal game since 2005.
"I don't think Lynnfield played its best game, but we played well and stayed in the game," Hefferan said. "We'll be ready to play whenever the next game is played."
