Notre Dame girls cap perfect year

WELLESLEY — You know it is coming, just maybe not when.

There comes that point in every Notre Dame Academy of Hingham game where the Cougars take over and pour in goals.

In Sunday’s Div. 2 girls lacrosse state title game against Wayland, that point was close to the entire contest.

The Cougars finished their dominant spring with a 19-5 rout of Wayland at Babson College. Notre Dame put the cap on a 25-0 season, repeating as Div. 2 state champions.

“Im really proud of the way that they handled themselves all season,” NDA coach Meredith McGinnis said. “We threw a lot at them. We expected a lot from them, and they responded every challenge our coaches could have possibly presented. They had a fantastic attitude.

“I can’t say enough about Wayland, how much they threw at us, how much they challenged us. But I can’t say enough about our senior class and how proud of them I am. It takes a full team effort day in and day out to achieve what they were just able to accomplish.”

On Sunday, it was again a balanced scoring attack for the Cougars. Alexa Kenney led the way with five goals. Emma Connerty and Siobhan Colin each had four. Reilly Walsh and Jane Hilsabeck scored three apiece.

Wayland scored the first goal of the game on a strike from Jane Tardif (2 goals). After that, though, it was all NDA. Colin scored two goals in a four-goal Cougars run.

Jillian Mele answered with a Wayland goal, but Notre Dame closed the half on an 8-1 run to take a commanding, 12-3 lead into the break. Connerty provided a big one with a goal just 10 seconds before halftime.

From there, it was never really close again.

“I think, honestly, the biggest thing for us this season was not only our chemistry on the field, but off the field, which I think. transferred on to the field,” Kenney said. “We love each other so much. We do everything for each other. No one plays selfish, ever. Everyone just wants the best for everyone else.”

Said Hilsabeck of those decisive runs: “I think it’s just making plays. A lot of it is working smarter, not harder. I think that’s a big emphasis for our team. Meredith always emphasizes that, that we need to work with our heads, not only our bodies. That’s a big thing.”

Deirdre Brown also scored two goals for Wayland (20-5).