Sarah Marano celebrates her goal for Methuen/Tewksbury. (Patrick Donnelly/NEHJ)
METHUEN, Mass. — It was just a matter of time for Methuen/Tewksbury.
The No. 3 Red Rangers fell behind just 58 seconds into a Merrimack Valley/Dual County clash with Shawsheen/Bedford/Lowell.
The Rams’ momentum, though, was short-lived.
Methuen/Tewksbury began to rack up pressure and chances through the remainder of the first period and most of the second, and they finally broke through goalie Elise McEachern with 2:35 to go in the second period when Ella Duffy shoveled home a loose puck to tie it.
From there, the momentum stayed with the Red Rangers. Hayden Reardon gave her team the lead just 32 seconds into the third with a wrister from the top of the right circle. McEachern got a piece of it with her glove, but it tumbled in.
Sarah Marano tacked on insurance when she sniped a top-shelf wrister from the high slot two minutes later. Sammy Ryan scored with 5:27 left in regulation for the 4-1 final, one-timing a backdoor pass from Lyla Chapman on a 4-on-3 power play.
Lydia Barnes earned the win for Methuen/Tewksbury, which remains undefeated 9-0-0.
Becca Sobol scored for Shawsheen/Bedford/Lowell, which dropped its second straight game to fall to 6-2-0. Sobol forced a turnover in the neutral zone and broke in for a breakaway.
Let’s dive into 13 standouts from the game.