'We haven't had a day off": New league no problem for No. 4 Lincoln-Sudbury girls hockey
CONCORD – The jump may turn into leap.
Lincoln-Sudbury's girls hockey team breezed through league play a season ago, winning the Dual County League Small title with ease. But the success didn’t turn into a long playoff run: the Warriors – despite 16 regular-season wins – were out in the Sweet 16.
The lopsided victories have turned into grinding outcomes this winter now that L-S is a Division 1 team playing in the Merrimack Valley/DCL Large. And the Warriors are better for the vault into the increased level of competition.
“This year in D1, we haven’t had a day off,” said senior co-captain Sophia Romm, after scoring the game-winning goal in a 4-2 win over Andover Wednesday night.
The victory was the sixth in a row for L-S, which has won four times this season by two goals or less. The Warriors are ranked No. 4 in the latest MIAA power rankings.
“We come to practice every day knowing that the next game is going to be a battle,” added captain Harper Friedholm, who scored twice against Andover, four days after her sister Tatum netted the overtime winner againt Methuen.
L-S (9-1-1) is unbeaten at Valley Sports arena (6-0), but fell behind 2-1 after the first period against Andover (4-3-1) before scoring the next three goals. The tussle should turn into a playoff payoff for the Warriors in their new division.
“It’s a big win for us,” said L-S coach Paul Hardy. “Every team in this league is solid. Every single team. That’s why I’m so glad we’re up in this division now.
“It’s going to help us going forward.”
'Gorgeous' goal helps L-S girls hockey defeat Andover
The Warriors of L-S (Andover is also known as the Warriors) tied the game 2-2 when Harper Friedholm went top shelf on the power play in the second period, the bench singing/miming the Boston Bruins goal song by KernKraft 400 as Friedholm skated by for high-fives.
L-S went ahead using hard work, grit and perseverance one period later.
A play that began rather innocuously when Ally Quinn had her shot attempt blocked at the blue line continued in the Andover end for more than a minute; so long that a shift change helped L-S keep the puck in enemy territory. Each time it appeared Andover had a chance to clear the puck out, a youthful L-S unit had a response.
First a pinch by sophomore Tatum Friedholm along the boards kept the puck in, then freshman Emerson Acquaviva did the same in nearly the same spot. Freshman Avery Naumann also made a play to keep the offense cycling near the Andover net before eighth-grader Grace Munroe gathered the puck behind the net and slid a puck to a charging Romm in the slot for a one-timer and a 3-2 lead.
“That was beautiful,” said Romm. “A beautiful pass on her (Munroe’s) part. I give that one to her.”
Harper Friedholm began the play on the ice, then changed off, but watched in awe from the bench.
“I looked at my linemate, Ally Quinn, after that goal and I was like ‘that was one of the prettiest goals I think I’ve ever seen.’ It was such a good read from the corner. Sophia came bombing down the center (of the ice). It was gorgeous. It was just like we do in practice.”
“Those first two goals, those were nice, pretty goals," Hardy said of Friedholm's tallies. "But we rely on those rugged, blue-collar goals.”
Romm gave due credit to her fledgling teammates.
“The younger kids – that line especially – they're really fast and they work really hard. They see the puck and they’re laser-focused to it. Whenever they get the puck in sight, they just go get it.”
Fittingly, the win was sealed when Torrey Winrow scored into an empty net with 44 seconds remaining.
Challenges await for season's final month
Lincoln-Sudbury needs just one point to clinch a playoff spot with nine games remaining. The schedule will continue to challenge the Warriors.
The team's lone loss was two days before Christmas, a 3-1 setback to St. Mary's, which is ranked one slot ahead of L-S and played in the state final a year ago. The Warriors played Shrewsbury, the D1 champ in '23, to a 1-all tie and face the Colonials again, this time at Valley Sports, on Jan. 27.
Algonquin, tough rematches with Methuen, Andover and Waltham also remain. But those matchups should only make L-S stronger when the postseason arrives.
“We’re looking at the Garden, we’re ready for that," Friedholm said. "In past years, it’s been a fun team; I’ve loved every second of it, but the playoff run wasn’t the end goal. This year, this team wants to win and I think that shows every day in practice. Hopefully we’ll be able to translate it when playoffs come around.”
"I think with the level of difficulty we’ve faced this season,"Romm added, "I think we’re absolutely going to be ready for it.”
Tim Dumas is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tdumas@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimDumas.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: New league no problem for No. 4 Lincoln-Sudbury girls hockey
