Cierra and Britney Hill have accomplished many athletic achievements together.
The senior twin sisters played for a soccer championship in the fall of 2021 and rode an 18-game win streak into it. They played in a state final four for basketball this past winter as the second seed in Division II. So it’s only fitting that, in the spring, they achieved personal records, too.
And of course, together.
The latest impressive clip to their resumes came during Pembroke’s 14-6 girls’ lacrosse win over ConVal on Tuesday as Cierra and Britney surpassed 200 and 100 career goals scored, respectively.
There was no shortage of reminders about their potential on an afternoon filled with success. Four signs taped onto the green hurdles stood on the track in front of the Spartans’ bench: two signs for Brittney, two for Cierra. Teammates had “C’s 200” written on the back of their right shoulders as Cierra entered the game just one goal away.
It only took 1 minute, 15 seconds for Cierra to reach the coveted 200. She stood to the left of the goal and caught a pass from Britney during a penalty shot that was sent into the top right corner of the net. A routine play for an unforgettable moment.
“That was like our fifth time doing that this season,” Cierra said. “We just give each other this look that says ‘OK,’ and (Britney) took a couple of steps in, passes it to me and it was just a quick stick toward the net.”
The moment got its deserved recognition. Cierra received a standing ovation from the crowd, all of her teammates rushed toward her to share an embrace and her family stepped onto the field for a photo.
With Cierra’s moment done, it was time to focus on her sister. Britney entered the game eight goals away from 100, and while it’s becoming more common to see one person fill the stat sheet, that’s not her game. She’ll get her goals, but typically she’s more of a facilitator.
Sure enough, Britney chipped away. The first happened with 23:16 left in the first half from point-blank range, the second almost two minutes later on a penalty shot. The third and fourth came at 12:38 and 11:51. A fifth arrived with less than 90 seconds left in the first half, and suddenly eight goals no longer seemed daunting.
And again Britney went to the net with her sixth goal of the afternoon 63 seconds into the second half as Pembroke extended its lead to 10-3. It took 10 minutes before No. 7 happened, and with the clock winding down the anticipation for the final goal grew.
“Before the game I wasn’t trying to force it, but I get set up with so many opportunities from my teammates,” Britney said.
Sure enough, she scored the century-mark goal with 3:45 left in the second half, and the exact same celebration in which Britney had taken part for Ciera came her way.
“To have it happen on this game and on the same day as my twin sister, it’s just insane,” Britney said.
The Hills have been a staple for the Pembroke lacrosse community. With no feeder program like neighboring towns have, they’ve sought out other options, including travel teams and backyard clinics. When the Spartans made the jump from Division III to Division II back in 2021, they led the charge to a final four finish, and now Pembroke is three games away from its third consecutive playoff appearance.
The Spartans’ roster features players who are in their rookie seasons and have received plenty of pointers from the Hill sisters.
Coach Craig Stam couldn’t ask for more.
“Britney and Cierra are exceptional athletes, exceptional kids and exceptional students,” Stam said. “Girls like them don’t come around often.”
When their storied careers at Pembroke come to an end, their next steps will take them to the University of Southern Maine, where they’ll play soccer. There’s only one way they’ll do it.
Together.