The Hopedale Blue Raiders continue their excellent season, advancing to the semifinals with a 3-0 quarterfinal win over No. 10 Norfolk County Agricultural (Norfolk Aggie). Hopedale opened the tournament emphatically, a 9-0 win over Upper Cape Cod RVT followed by a 1-0 victory over David Prouty, and the quarterfinal was more of the same.
Josie Fleming, Grace Rojee, and McKenna Carpenter provided the offense against Norfolk Aggie, each netting a goal to create a comfortable margin. Goalkeeper Anna Fafard was stellar in the net, totaling five saves and recording a clean sheet that allowed the Blue Raiders to control the match tempo.
Hopedale’s balanced attack and defensive organization have been trademarks throughout this deep run. The Blue Raiders will now face Hull in the semifinals tonight at 6:30 PM at Mansfield High, a matchup that follows Hull’s 6-2 quarterfinal victory over Nashoba Valley Technical. Hopedale will need its stars to maintain form and rely on Fafard’s continued reliability in net to stamp their bid for the championship. The Blue Raiders were eliminated in the quarterfinal last season and have made strides towards becoming a state champ this season.
