Smith's Hat-Trick Sends Surging Tanners into Postseason

Sophomore Kayla Smith had a hat-trick and three assists, as the girls’ hockey team made quite a statement Thursday in its last game of the regular season.

With Smith leading the way, the Tanners defeated Acton-Boxborough 8-2 at O’Brien Rink in a rematch of last year’s Division 1 state semi-finals.

“You always want to play well at the end of the season,” Woburn coach Bob MacCurtain said after the game, “and I thought it was a good effort today.”

The Tanners also won last year’s match, 3-2, to advance to the state championship game, where they lost 7-2 to St. Mary’s of Lynn.

With postseason brackets due out today, Woburn (18-1-1, 15-1), riding an 18-game unbeaten streak, has wrapped up the No. 2 seed, while Acton Boxborough (16-4-1, 13-1-1) should land in the top six.

On Thursday, Smith took the puck the length of the ice and beat Acton-Boxborough netminder Cali Loblundo glove-side high just 42 seconds into the game. Senior Siobhan Duran added a goal, off a Smith assist, midway through the period to give the Tanners a 2-0 lead after one.

In the second period, Woburn put the game out of reach, scoring five goals, including two power-play goals and one short-handed. Acton-Boxborough received six penalties in the period but got on the board, as Kati Goguen scored on Woburn goalie Courtney Davis.

Davis, a freshman, had not allowed a goal in six games.

Woburn senior Kelly Duran knocked in a rebound to make it 3-0 early in the period. Smith then scored again to put the Tanners up four, at 4-0, before Goguen’s goal.

Later in the period, Woburn senior Colleen Martell scored twice, once on a one-timer from Smith and then again by following up on a Smith shot.

Woburn freshman Ashley Moran then scored on a shot with 30 seconds left in the period to make it 7-1.

In the third period, Smith converted on another break, before Goguen scored again to make the final 8-2.

Davis had 11 saves in the game, Loblundo 10.

Martell also had two assists for Woburn, as did senior Hannah Magee and sophomore Cassandra Connolly. Siobhan Duran, Moran and senior Alaina Schiano each had one assist for the Tanners.

For Acton-Boxborough, Sarah Berkley had two assists, Emily Everdell and Lauren Roche, one.