**Somerset Berkley Secures Second Straight Division 2 Field Hockey State Title with 3-0 Win Over Hingham**
BURLINGTON — Behind a third-period frenzy that produced all three goals and a stoic defensive effort, third-seeded Somerset Berkley repeated as Division 2 state champions with a 3-0 victory over top-seeded Hingham in the state final Saturday afternoon.
Addie Finlaw, Ella Vaught, and Julie Pacheco each found the back of the net for the co-ed Blue Raiders (22-1), while goalie Mia Wiley made eight crucial saves. The team’s strong defensive play effectively limited the Harbormen (20-2-1) offense in their program’s first-ever state final appearance.
Somerset Berkley now boasts back-to-back state titles for the second time in program history, having last achieved this feat during the 2018-19 seasons.
“It feels great,” said Blue Raiders head coach Jen Crook. “They were a great team. They were very, very athletic. We were lucky that we were able to put three goals in the net.”
The game’s opening quarter saw an offensive surge from Somerset Berkley, generating six corners, including four consecutive opportunities. Hingham’s flyer Emily Kiernan, alongside the rest of the Harbormen corner defense, applied relentless pressure on attackers Ryan Crook and Finlaw to break out of the jam. Meanwhile, Hingham goalie Molly McDonald made five saves, blocking two promising shots.
Both teams kept the scoreboard blank through the first half, but Somerset Berkley broke through early in the third quarter. On two consecutive corners, Ryan Crook’s pass was tipped to the post by Emma Cormier, landing right to Vaught, whose shot earned a penalty stroke. Finlaw calmly converted the stroke less than two minutes into the quarter, giving the Blue Raiders a 1-0 lead.
The same corner play sequence was executed shortly after, with Vaught scoring again. Pacheco then capped the scoring with a goal at the post with 6:08 remaining in the third quarter. This flurry of three goals within six minutes gave Somerset Berkley a commanding 3-0 lead.
“We tried to talk about it at halftime because I don’t think they were playing to their full potential,” Coach Crook explained. “So, they picked it up a bit. We weren’t on our game as well as we had been in previous matches, but it was good enough to get the win.”
Hingham responded with several promising attacks, hoping for a comeback, but Somerset Berkley’s defense — anchored by Cormier, Maura Kennedy, Meg Costa, and Ryan Crook — stifled scoring chances. Although Hingham attempted six shots on goal and earned four corners in the second half, Wiley stood tall in net to preserve the shutout.
On defense, Hingham seniors Sammy Price, Kaitlyn Manning, Ryan Hallisey, and sophomore Sam McCabe impressed despite the third-quarter scoring burst that swung momentum away from their side.
Harbormen head coach Susan Petrie praised her players following the loss. With 13 seniors graduating, this group brought the program to three straight Final Four appearances and the school’s first state final.
“I had so much fun,” Petrie reflected. “Every single day. My coaching staff does not get enough credit—they’re amazing. And these teenagers bring so much joy to us and each other. I lost my dad the week before the season started this year, and he loved field hockey. They’ve been there for me; some of these kids have gone through things. We’re such a family, and they will be for life.”
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/15/somerset-berkley-shuts-out-hingham-for-repeat-title-in-div-2/