Shootout heartbreaker ends strong season for CCHS field hockey
The Patriots’ promising playoff run ended against Hopkinton in a Round of 16 overtime nail-biter on November 5.
Acton-Carlisle field hockey’s promising playoff run ended against Hopkinton in a Round of 16 overtime nail-biter on November 5. Hopkinton (ranked 10th to CCHS’s 7th) pulled the Memorial Field upset with a two-goal, game-tying fourth quarter, followed by two scoreless 10-minute overtimes and a 3-1 shootout.
- Team record: Playoffs: 1-1. Regular season: Overall 9-3-5; DCL 6-0-2
- Big game: The Patriots went into the fourth quarter with a 3-1 lead on dramatic goals by Abby Ruhmann with a scorching 15-yard drive, Julia Reynolds with a one-touch off an adept assist from co-captain Brynn Chaffee, and Scarlett Mirak on a relentless attack at close range.
- Game changer: Hopkinton struck first in the five-attempt shootout, but Ruhmann, in the second spot for CCHS, tied it with a sparkling maneuver, which put the Patriots on the brink of advancing to the Round of 8 for the first time since 2021.
- Unsung hero: Goalie Lexie Ramirez once again stood firm in the net, on this occasion deflecting attempt after attempt for four 15-minute quarters, two 10-minute overtimes, and a high-stakes shootout. Ramirez and the defensive line, typically featuring Ally Couto at center back flanked by Zöe Bonzagni and Maddie Clancy, held opponents to one goal or fewer 12 times in 20 games, and allowed more than two goals in only five matches.
