Coe-Brown junior Eleanor Escabi looks to break into a solid Hopkinton defense. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

Two late goals by senior Maeve Owens and junior Molly Hodgdon sealed Hopkinton’s comeback after an early deficit to win the first game of the season.

The Hawks needed contributions from everyone on the field and bench to get back in the game and outlast Coe-Brown, 9-7.

Both teams made the playoffs, with Hopkinton reaching the semifinals and Coe-Brown falling in the quarterfinals. It was set up to be a close match.

First-year goalie Molly Martin is the first to arrive with years of experience in the lacrosse and hockey nets from youth programs during the coaching tenure of Bob Brown and Gus Madden.

After allowing three goals in the first quarter, she bounced back in-game with a total of nine saves. Among those nine saves, Martin saved a fourth-quarter free position shot while Hopkinton led by two goals with less than two minutes left.

“It was kind of scary having that last shot, but I was really glad I saved it,” she said.

Juniors Eleanor Escabi, Avery Keefe, Brooke Kozlowski and Adalynn Moynihan led Coe-Brown’s strong start. Moynihan and Escabi scored free-position shots while Keefe and Koslowski had strong entries into the goal circle.

Coe-Brown sophomore goalie Haily Smith made multiple clutch saves, including a free position save against Hopkinton’s Ava Burns (22). Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

Sophomore goalie Haily Smith had multiple free-position saves throughout the game, ending with nine saves that kept Coe-Brown in close contention.

“We just have to clean up the small things, turnovers here and there in the wrong zone, not putting in the net when we should have,” Coe-Brown Coach Tom Johnson said.

Just before half, Hopkinton pulled back two and continued to keep up with Coe-Brown. The momentum shift instilled confidence back in the team.

“We went into that second half pumped and I think we really had a good mentality,” Guadagno said after the game.

  • Hawks senior Maeve Owens fires a shot from a free position against Coe-Brown to start the season. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor
  • Hopkinton senior Ava Burns (R) looks for a way to attack as Coe-Brown freshman Maggie Cardillo closes her down. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor

Eight different players scored points for Hopkinton: Owens (2G), Hodgdon, senior Ava Burns (2G), sophomore Pippa Lang (2A), junior Avery Chase (G, A), senior Emma Pelletier (G), senior Lilly Chodosh (G, A) and Marcella Guadagno (G).

“We’re excited because we do have a deep team, and it’s hard to choose who our best players are because they’re all good,” Coach Madden said after the game.

Hopkinton will play at St. Thomas Aquinas while Coe-Brown will return home to host Lebanon on Wednesday at 4 p.m.