Keene High field hockey earns another semifinal berth

Keene High will get another chance at a state title run after defeating Timberlane 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at Foster Field.

Keene High will get another chance at a state title run after defeating Timberlane 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at Foster Field, sending the Blackbirds into the NHIAA Division I semifinals for the third year in a row.

The No. 3 seed advanced behind an early score from Lilly Vitters, who finished a play set up by Scarlett Miller five minutes into the game. Camille Hansen later provided the separation in the third quarter, helping Keene secure its third consecutive quarterfinal victory on its home field to open the postseason.

The Blackbirds now move on to face No. 2 Pinkerton on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Exeter’s Bill Ball Stadium, with a third straight trip to the state championship game on the line.

That matchup carries extra weight because Pinkerton beat Keene 5-1 in the teams’ regular-season finale on Oct. 16, a result the Blackbirds know they must answer. Still, the program is also taking stock of how far it has come during this stretch of success.

Veteran coach Michelle Tiani said the team understands that long runs like this are rare and not something to assume will last. She added that Keene is trying to appreciate the achievement while preparing for the next challenge.

This season has not been as smooth as the past two for the Blackbirds. They lost several standout players to graduation, then dealt with injuries and illness late in the regular season, including back-to-back losses to close out the schedule.

Senior defender Natalia Gillis said the group entered the playoffs trying to recover from an end-of-season dip and was pleased to get a clean victory to reset the tone.

Timberlane made Keene work for it, even though the Blackbirds had beaten the Owls 3-0 on Oct. 7. The visitors stayed within reach well into the second half and generated the better of the play in the second quarter, earning five penalty corners while Keene had none.

Keene’s defense held the line through that stretch, and senior goalkeeper Dayna English came up with two important saves in the second quarter among her six stops overall.

Tiani credited English and the defensive corner unit for absorbing that pressure and keeping the lead intact before the offense got another opening.

That opportunity came after Keene had gone nearly two quarters without a corner chance of its own. On the team’s next set piece, Gillis initiated the play, Lola Ballaro fired a shot from the edge, Mia Snowling redirected it into traffic, and Hansen finished at the far post with 10:33 left in the third quarter.

From there, Keene shifted into a more defensive posture and protected the lead until the final whistle.

Tiani said reaching the final four makes the postseason a fresh competition for everyone involved. Vitters echoed that sentiment, saying the Blackbirds are comfortable being overlooked and see that as fuel rather than a burden.

The semifinal field reflects that reality. Pinkerton and Winnacunnet have been viewed as the leading contenders throughout the season, while Winnacunnet is set to meet defending champion Bedford in the other semifinal Wednesday night.

For Keene, though, the focus now is on turning a difficult regular-season ending into a stronger finish, with the Blackbirds believing they are better prepared for Pinkerton than they were two weeks ago in Derry.