Below are the round two matchups and semi-finals for NE Prep. Our New England scouts have shared their opinions on each game and predictions on who will win. The higher seed will host each game. Goodluck to all teams.
Elite 8
#5 Loomis Chaffee at #1 Nobles. 2 pm: Loomis had a very strong showing against Dexter in round one. Lindsay Stepnowski and Annie Schwarz were great as expected, but they face a Nobles team that is at number one for a reason. Nobles led the whole game until St. Paul’s stormed back. St. Paul’s was a strong 8 seed, but not strong enough for the OT hero, Ashley Loeber. These teams saw each other last all the way back on December 6th, when Nobles won 4-1. NZ Predicts: Split
#7 Tabor at #6 Deerfield. 2 pm: Tabor stuns a very strong Andover team in OT and will look to keep the good times rolling against a strong six seed in Deerfield. Alessandra Picard scored twice against Williston and look for her to make another impact against Tabor. NZ Predicts: Split
Large School
#4 BB&N at #1 Phillips Exeter. 3:20 pm: BB&N beats Thayer 3-1, and Phillips Exeter went to OT against eight seed Middlesex. Both these teams played against each other once this season, and Exeter won in a close 2-1 game. We still think this Exeter team is deep enough to do it again. NZ Predicts: Phillips Exeter
#3 Taft at #2 Choate. 1:30 pm: Taft travels to a strong Choate team that won in OT against Kent. Our scouts couldn’t help but notice Taft take care of a team like Berkshire 4-1. These teams will face off a fourth time, each time prior being close. NZ Predicts: Split
Small School
#5 St. Mark’s at Groton. 3 pm: St. Mark’s took care of four seed Governors 5-0! Groton goes to OT against a short-staffed but talented Frederick Gunn team. Goals came from Tina Scalese and Oona Kathan. These schools have a long-standing rivalry dating back years and years. NZ Predicts: Groton
#7 New Hampton at #3 Cushing. 1:30 pm: New Hampton takes care of Rivers 3-1 and looks to take another trip to the Small School championship. Emma MacPherson was good as expected, scoring twice. Cushing won in overtime against Portsmouth Abbey, with Emersyn Fisher-Bailey getting the OT winner. NZ Predicts: New Hampton