Hingham Pulls Out Tie with Top-Ranked Clipper Girls

HINGHAM — Thanks in large part to senior forward Maggie MacDonald, the top-ranked Falmouth Clipper girls almost pulled out of Hingham with a win last night.

But Hingham’s Maura Holden would have none of that and garnered redemption for the host Harbormen in a 3-3 tie with the Falmouth (9-3-2) visitors. Falmouth did, however, clinch a postseason berth with the tie. The tie for Hingham, at least, helped it save face from an earlier season loss to Falmouth and also gain a point in the SEMGHL standings.

Falmouth’s Maggie MacDonald scored a pair of goals and had an assist on another to help the Clippers gain a 3-3 tie with Hingham last night.
Sean Walsh/capecod.com sports

With the Clippers ahead, 3-2, heading into the third period, Holden wheeled in alone on Falmouth goalie Maddie Scavotto to tie it at the 5:00 minute mark.

Falmouth’s biggest weakness last night was that it spent an inordinate amount of time killing six penalties it could ill afford to be assessed, given Hingham’s home-rink advantage and gifted squad.

Freshman forward McKenzie Haberl put the Clippers on the scoreboard first at the 11:27 mark of the first period, assisted by MacDonald.

The host Harbormen retaliated in like-kind nearly three minutes later at the 8:22 mark when Julianna Gong scored on an assist from captain Olivia Messina to make it 1-1. Twelve second later, Hingham’s Ashley Duff made it 2-1 on another assist from Messina.

Falmouth’s MacDonald kept the Clippers in it when she tied it at 2-2 at the 5:52 mark of the first frame on assists from Hannah Callahan and Shannon Upton. The first frame ended in a deadlock at 2-2.

In the second periond, MacDonald took matters into her own hands and scored on a Maddie Haberl assist to make it 3-2, Falmouth. In spite of committing a pair of penalties, Falmouth got out of the second period clinging onto a 3-2 edge.

That edge disappeared in the third period when Holden nailed it for the 3-3 tie at the 5:00-minute mark.

Falmouth gets some much-needed rest until next Wednesday (Jan. 28) when it welcomes top-ranked archrival Barnstable to the Falmouth Ice Arena at 5:00 pm.

— Sean Walsh is the sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm.