By KAT HASENAUER CORNETTA
WOBURN – Overtime is becoming a habit of this year's Westford Academy girls hockey team. After surviving a Saturday shootout with Billerica, the No. 13 Grey Ghosts (13-5-5) called upon bonus hockey heroics again to upset No. 5 Woburn (18-6), 2-1, in a two overtime Div. 1 quarterfinal at O'Brien Rink.
Kaitlyn Delaney's goal at the 12:38 mark of the first period gave the Tanners an early lead. Westford threatened mightily in the second period, and Tanners goalie Katelind Ciavardone had to make six big saves in the frame to maintain her team's lead.
After several chances early in the third for the Grey Ghosts, Ainsley Lamb tied the game with 9:23 left in regulation. The two teams headed to overtime, where Maddie Russo nearly ended it for Woburn with 1:17 left in the first overtime with a breakaway that Westford goalie Alyssa Lopez snagged.
With just 2:10 left in the second overtime, Hannah Keefe passed to Colleen Ellis, who slapped in the game-winner.
“You almost don't believe you've scored,” said Ellis. “When you do, your whole team is on top of you, celebrating.”
In a rematch of last year's Div. 1 quarterfinal, Nicole Amato's two third period goals gave No. 1 Arlington Catholic (19-1-1) a 2-1 win over No. 9 Duxbury (15-6-3.) It was a long-awaited victory for the Cougars, who lost to the Dragons both last year and in the state finals the year prior.
“I told them to focus on the present,” said Arlington Catholic head coach Maggie Taverna. “Control what you can control.”
Duxbury controlled the game early. Olivia Nolan fed the puck to Kelly McCarthy, who made a bouncy shot into the net to get the Dragons on the board with 57 seconds left in the first period.
Six minutes into the second period, Arlington Catholic pressured in the Duxbury zone, but Camryn McCrystal came up with three quick saves in a row. The Dragons had several opportunities in the frame that barely missed the net.
Amato came out of the second intermission determined. She slid one in on a open side of the net just :25 seconds into the third to tie the game. With just over a minute left, Erin Kelley made a stellar defensive tip at the blue line to keep the puck in the Duxbury zone, and Amato capitalized seconds later with a slapper to win it.