McDonald Leads Defense on Playoff-Bound Girls Hockey Team

Defensive zone coverage has been a staple of the Beverly-Danvers girls hockey team's success this winter and senior captain Shannon McDonald, now in her fourth varsity season, is a leader of the six-player group patrolling the back line for the Lady Panthers.

Despite a 3-2 loss to Cambridge-Somerville Wednesday night, the Panthers (12-5-0 overall) have allowed just 31 goals in 17 games and are headed to the state tournament for the third time in McDonald's career.

“I think the key to the success of our team has been the way we work together. When we're playing well, we're making connections all over the ice. We work so hard at practice and it's really been paying off in games,” said McDonald, a traditional stay-at-home defenseman, who scored her second goal of the season in a 2-1 win against Marblehead-Swampscott on Feb. 12.

“Shannon's strength is her consistency as a defensive-minded player. She is also a strong team leader and is supportive of her teammates,” said coach Fiona Rice.

McDonald is joined in the defensive end by senior captain Liz Doherty of Beverly as well as junior Allison Houde, sophomore Katie Szela, freshman Rachel Trochhi and eighth-grader Caitlin McBride, who all hail from Danvers. For the most part, they have excelled in steering opponents clear of goaltender Jenna LoVasco, who has three shutouts.

McDonald said it is a point of pride that five of the six defensemen are Danvers products. However, she stressed the fact that they play for a school that is a rival in all other sports is a non-issue.

“I don't even think about it. When we put the uniform on, we know it's for Beverly. The Beverly girls on the team are my sisters,” she said.

After a brief – as in one day – fling with figure skating, McDonald has been playing hockey since the age of 6. She played on boys teams throughout her time in the Danvers Youth Hockey League before moving on to the Vipers and Seacoast Lightning girls programs.

McDonald cites her ability to anticipate how the action will unfold as her primary strength.

“I'm able to feel where players will be without having to look up for them all the time. I think I'm also a pretty good skater and I've learned skills from Fiona that I never would have known about without playing for her,” she said. “I definitely need a better shot. As a defenseman, you always want a low slap shot and I'm working hard to improve that.”

A high honors student, McDonald hopes to study nursing or physical therapy in college. Her top choices are Merrimack and the University of New Hampshire.

As her high school career winds down, McDonald is focused on helping the Panthers make a deep run in the tournament. Beverly-Danvers takes on No. 4 ranked Winthrop-Lynn English Saturday night at Stoneham Arena (6 p.m.) and can earn a share of first place in the Northeast Division of the Girls Eastern Mass Ice Hockey League with a win.

The Panthers conclude the regular season next week with non-league games against Springfield Cathedral and Reading.

“We're just taking it game by game. Saturday is our biggest game of the season and most challenging game so far,” said McDonald. “It will help us get ready for the tournament.”