Walpole Girls Field Hockey defeated Chelmsford 7-2 on Monday, Oct. 14 on their home field. Walpole’s record improved to 16-0-1 with their only tie being Braintree. It was a hard fought game for both Walpole and Chelmsford with the score going back and forth for the first half of the game, but the Rebels ultimately came out on top.

The Porkers knew Chelmsford would be a tough competitor, so they came in with a different approach relative to other games.

“We changed our warmup and made it more intense, so that we would be more ready to have a good start to the game. We also changed up the lineup a little which turned out well also,” senior captain Sydney Scales said.

The Porkers had a strong start as they scored the first crucial goal early into the first half, which they struggled to do in previous games. However, Chelmsford quickly responded with a goal on the other end to tie the game at 1-1. 

“For awhile we had trouble scoring early in games but I think lately and especially against Chelmsford we were able to score right off the bat which has helped us become so successful,” sophomore forward Caroline Whelan said. 

As the Porkers went into the second half, they maintained this intensity and kept the ball in the offensive end, holding Chelmsford to two goals for the remainder of the game and senior goalie GiGi Anello made several great saves to keep the Porkers on top. 

“Overall everyone played solid which made it a great team effort and contributed to the win,” Anello said.

The 7-2 victory over Chelmsford in the regular season was crucial for the Porkers as they are quickly approaching the postseason. 

“Beating a strong team, especially by 5 goals, shows that if we play our game we can make almost anything happen. It also shows other teams that we are just as strong and talented as previous years and we are out here to win just as much as ever,” Scales said.

The Porkers are looking to make a strong run in playoffs as they do every year and continue to play with the same intensity as they did against the tough competitor Chelmsford. Their next game is Sunday, Oct. 27 at Needham.