The atmosphere in Hackler Gymnasium during Mascenic’s NHIAA Division III semifinal game with Inter-Lakes Wednesday night was eerily familiar. Just like 2019’s Inter-Lakes/Mascenic championship game, the Vikings took the first set, and just like last year’s championship game with Newfound, the stunned Vikings slumped off the court after losing a game they’d had confidence in winning.
In 2019, it was coach Randy Mattson’s Lakers who entered the playoffs after an undefeated regular season, and as No. 4 Inter-Lakes (14-4) handed No. 1 Mascenic (17-1) their first loss of the year at the worst possible time, Mattson saw the parallels.
“There’s just so much pressure when you’re undefeated,” Mattson said. “So much pressure. We felt it that year. We were able to overcome it. I think that probably was a factor this match – and my team played great. I mean, what can I say? I thought they played great.”
Whether the Vikings were feeling that pressure or not, they made more than their share of uncharacteristic errors.
“[Nerves] has to be part of it,” said Mascenic head coach Karen Gibson after the game. “To go and lose 3-1 when we haven’t lost all year – I would be silly to say that wasn’t a part of it, but our girls were playing with full effort and full attention. They stayed united; they did all the things I asked them to do. When you’re making physical mistakes against a team that’s good enough to capitalize on them? They beat us. There were facets of our game that I don’t think we played exceptionally well, but Inter-Lakes took advantage of everything we gave them, and we just can’t give them four or five possessions of the ball. Those Moynihans are going to end the play at some point.”
Indeed, 5’11” senior hitter Molly Moynihan (eight kills) and freshman sister Kiera Moynihan (five kills) created much of the Laker offense. Defensively, the elder Moynihan created problems for Mascenic with her blocking ability at the net, as she was able to stymie the Vikings’ lone senior, Lyla Buxton (12 kills, six aces). But it was junior Tori Stuart who made the biggest impression on the semifinal game. Stuart’s a scrappy, low-to-the-ground player who isn’t afraid to drop into a split to dig out a tough kill attempt. Her lack of serving experience kept her off the court early in the season, but eventually, Mattson saw she was too valuable to see the bench.
“Her presence on the court is huge,” Mattson said. “And so I thought, you know what? We’re just going to have her serve.”
Stuart scored 18 service points with her unorthodox underhand serve and made an incredible 32 digs, rising to the occasion as the Vikings targeted her repeatedly.
Mascenic made a valiant effort early on; Kenzie Cormier (21 assists, seven kills, seven digs), Lindsey Coponen (four aces, 14 digs), Delaney Traffie (eight kills, three aces, 18 digs), Hannah Zina (three kills, one ace, three digs, block) and Val Stenersen (seven digs) played well, but between the Lakers’ impressive dig game and their net play, the Vikings were frustrated whether they went with a precision push or a powerful spike.
“Inter-Lakes played great defense against us, and we made costly mistakes at times when we just couldn’t afford to,” Gibson said.
The loss ended Mascenic’s season one game and two wins short of their ultimate goal, a state championship, something that seemed achievable from the minute the Vikings left the court after last year’s title game loss, something the team set as a goal as the season started and something that seemed even more likely after Mascenic’s first undefeated regular season since their 1999 championship run. The hardware eluded them, but the Vikings still fielded a special team this fall.
“I loved being their coach,” Gibson said. “This is going to be a memorable season. Stings right now because we put out there what we wanted. We wanted to win a state championship, so it’s really disappointing when you don’t get what you want. But I’m proud of them for being brave enough to say, we said as a team that’s what we were working for. I think that’s the only way to do it, is unapologetically to go after it. So it hurts a little more when you’re brave enough to say that. It does feel like our season got cut short a little bit, but I am super-proud of what they did. I just love them and I loved being their coach.”
Inter-Lakes went on to lose to No. 2 Somersworth in the state championship game Saturday.