Belisle Hat Trick Lifts McCann Tech Girls in State Tourney

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The McCann Tech girls soccer team Thursday broke out of a little scoring slump in a big way.

 

Camryn Belisle had a hat trick, Izzy LaCasse had a goal and two assists, and the Hornets scored four times in the second half to earn a 6-2 win over Innovation Academy in the preliminary round of the Division 5 State Tournament.

 

The 26th-seeded Hornets earned a berth in Saturday's Round of 32 against No. 7 Tahonto Regional of Boylston.

 

McCann Tech made its state tournament debut after going 0-2-1 with four goals in its last three games, including a 2-1 disappointment in the State Vocational Small School Division title game on Tuesday.

 

"After a few games of not feeling ourselves, we finally came back and showed what the Hornet team is like," Belisle said.

 

"I don't know what caused that [lull], but we finally picked it back up, and we're ready for our first game."

 

Any concerns the Hornets (12-3-2) had about that bad stretch continuing were exacerbated when Innovation's Delaney Scanlon broke free for a run up the middle and scored the game's first goal in the 18th minute.

 

But McCann Tech took just three minutes to get the equalizer when LaCasse sent Belisle up the middle on a through ball, and she beat the Hawks keeper to the ball at the top of the 18 and finished to make it 1-1.

 

Late in the half, Scanlon took a hard shot from the left wing that forced McCann Tech keeper Keira Lennon to make a diving save, and Mackenzie Scanlon was there to knock in the rebound for the visitors, who took a one-goal lead with about eight minutes left until halftime.

 

This time, it took the Hornets just two minutes to respond. Again it was Belisle with an assist from LaCasse, who scored 44 of McCann Tech's 81 goals going into the game.

 

"Everyone concentrates on Izzy," McCann Tech coach Mike Dowling said. "Once you look up the stats, it's Izzy, Izzy, Izzy. But Cam [Belisle] stepped up today. She played a heck of a game.

 

"Addy Hayer, who hasn't been feeling too well, when she plays good, our team plays good. That whole side there worked so well, and Izzy took the position of assisting instead of scoring.

 

"It was all team. There was no individuality out there."

 

Belisle put home a rebound in the 48th minute to put McCann Tech up for the first time at 3-2, and the Hornets' defense made that lead stand up until the hosts got some breathing room late.

 

After McCann Tech took its first lead, the Hawks earned a half dozen corner kicks in about a 10-minute stretch, and Lennon (13 saves) and the defense held their ground.

 

"We weathered the storm," Dowling said. "My goalie is just confident. If she can make the save, she's at least going to make that attempt. ... The whole defense was working well together."

 

At the other end, LaCasse was able to double the Hornets' lead midway through the half.

 

After taking a centering pass from Hayer on the left wing, LaCasse dribbled into the 18 and fired a shot that was blocked by an Innovation defender. LaCasse gathered the rebound in traffic and found some space before slipping a shot past the diving keeper to make it 4-2.

 

In the last four minutes, Molly Boyer set up Madeline Durocher for a goal, and Emma Dupuis scored off a run on the right wing to provide the final margin.

 

"We played really well today," Dowling said. "Consistent, hustling. I liked the way they played today. They've been in a little funk, but it's a nice time to get out of the funk."

 

Photos from this game here.