Girls lacrosse: Anna Puttick helps Hampshire take down Granby 13-9 (PHOTOS)

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) fires a shot against Granby in the third quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) fires a shot against Granby in the third quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) scoops a loose ball behind the net under pressure from Granby defender Lydia Kicza (10) in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) scoops a loose ball behind the net under pressure from Granby defender Lydia Kicza (10) in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) winds back to shoot for a goal against Granby in the third quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) winds back to shoot for a goal against Granby in the third quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Reese O'Connell (8) fires a shot for a goal against Granby in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Reese O'Connell (8) fires a shot for a goal against Granby in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) winds back to shoot for a goal against Granby in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) winds back to shoot for a goal against Granby in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kalli White (23) charges up the field against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Kalli White (23) charges up the field against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kalli White (23) carries the ball defended by Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Kalli White (23) carries the ball defended by Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kalli White (23) reels in the ball against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Kalli White (23) reels in the ball against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Mary Thibault (16) takes a shot against Granby in the first quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Mary Thibault (16) takes a shot against Granby in the first quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kalli White (23) carries the ball against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Kalli White (23) carries the ball against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Mylin Laliberte (2) fires a shot under pressure from Hampshire Regional defender Olivia Manganelli (34) in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Mylin Laliberte (2) fires a shot under pressure from Hampshire Regional defender Olivia Manganelli (34) in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Abigail Landry (4) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Granby’s Abigail Landry (4) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kalli White (23) takes a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Kalli White (23) takes a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kalli White (23) and Lydia Kicza (10) fight for the ball against Hampshire Regional’s Ryleigh Fennessy (13) and Emmie Collins (9) in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Kalli White (23) and Lydia Kicza (10) fight for the ball against Hampshire Regional’s Ryleigh Fennessy (13) and Emmie Collins (9) in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Mylin Laliberte (2) carries the ball against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Mylin Laliberte (2) carries the ball against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) fires a shot against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Ryleigh Fennessy (13) maneuvers the ball defended by Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Ryleigh Fennessy (13) maneuvers the ball defended by Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Mary Thibault (16) takes a shot against Granby in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Mary Thibault (16) takes a shot against Granby in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Mary Thibault (16) carries the ball against Granby in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Mary Thibault (16) carries the ball against Granby in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kalli White (23) fires a shot just wide of the goal past Hampshire Regional goalie Abby Hennessy (32) in the fourth quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Kalli White (23) fires a shot just wide of the goal past Hampshire Regional goalie Abby Hennessy (32) in the fourth quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s McKenna Zumbruski (18) carries the ball upfield against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Granby’s McKenna Zumbruski (18) carries the ball upfield against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) carries the ball against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Granby’s Kelly-Lynne Kennedy (8) carries the ball against Hampshire Regional in the second quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Granby’s Ava-Elizabeth Loughman (1) and Kalli White (23) fight for possession against Hampshire Regional’s Mary Thibault (16) and Anna Puttick (15) in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby.

Granby’s Ava-Elizabeth Loughman (1) and Kalli White (23) fight for possession against Hampshire Regional’s Mary Thibault (16) and Anna Puttick (15) in the third quarter Tuesday in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) weaves between Granby’s Emily Durham (16) and Kalli White (23) in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) weaves between Granby’s Emily Durham (16) and Kalli White (23) in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) charges upfield defended by Granby’s Kaelynn Slapski (14) in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby.

Hampshire Regional’s Anna Puttick (15) charges upfield defended by Granby’s Kaelynn Slapski (14) in the first quarter Tuesday afternoon in Granby. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

By CONNOR PIGNATELLO

Staff Writer

Published: 04-23-2024 9:04 PM

Modified: 04-23-2024 9:26 PM

GRANBY – Anna Puttick won the draw, sprinted downfield, weaved between a few Granby defenders and then scored to give Hampshire Regional a 6-4 lead on the opening possession of the second half.

Then, about 20 seconds later, the Raiders senior captain midfielder did it again. And again.

By the time she was through, Puttick had scored six goals in a row, turning an early Hampshire deficit into a 13-9 win Tuesday afternoon.

“In the beginning of the game it kind of took me a second to lock myself in,” Puttick said. “But once I got it going I was able to be stick with it.”

Trailing 4-2 midway through the second quarter, Hampshire (5-3) struggled to generate offense. Granby (3-2) won the majority of the ground balls and Hampshire couldn’t connect on the passing that had worked so well in its win over Pittsfield on Monday. After four games in six days, Raiders head coach Grace Ahrensdorf was starting to see her players’ fatigue.

Then, Puttick took over.

She scored the final goal of the first half on a solo effort and then scored her team’s next five goals in the third quarter. Several came on plays where she won the draw and scored unassisted within a matter of seconds.

“I see a lane and I feel like I have the speed to make those cuts, and I have my teammates distracting some of the other team – they definitely help me out a lot,” Puttick said. “I see that lane and I just use my stick skills to make a dodge or a move or go around if I can, and I hope for the best.”

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Ahrensdorf wanted to see her team pass the ball like they had in Monday’s win, but when Granby’s defense was shutting them down, she gave Puttick free reign to go all the way if she thought she could score. Ahrensdorf said she thought this was one of Puttick’s best games.

“She knows if she gets it that she can beat a lot of girls downfield,” Ahrensdorf said. “So I was glad to see the confidence in her being willing to take (the draw) and then take some really smart shots, not force them too much, and use her dodges and her stick skills.”

After a first half where Granby and Hampshire battled to a defensive stalemate, Puttick’s third quarter explosion broke the game open. Hampshire held a slim 5-4 lead at halftime but opened it up to a 11-7 advantage at the end of the third quarter. Granby just couldn’t stop Puttick.

“We tried doubling her,” Rams coach Gary O’Grady said. “There’s a lot of things we tried but we just couldn’t seem to match up with her.”

In addition to Puttick’s six goals, Rylie Simmons and Reagan Mott each added a pair for the Raiders. Hailey Paszko scored her first career varsity goal and Dana Warren and Reese O’Connell also added a goal apiece. Senior goalie Abby Hennessy made 16 saves, including a few crucial ones in the fourth quarter to seal the win for Hampshire. She’s nearing 400 career saves.

Granby’s Kalli White and Mylin Laliberte each notched hat tricks of their own. Laliberte scored all three of her goals in the second half on plays where she ran across the face of goal and scored from close in. Abigail Landry scored a pair and Brenna Moreno added one.

“We did very well in attack,” O’Grady said. “We ran into a really hot goalie.”

With winning records and most of their league schedules still to play, both teams said they’re optimistic about the final weeks of their regular season. O’Grady said the Rams are “well on their way” to state tournament qualification. Ahrensdorf said she’s hopeful for a league championship.

Puttick said she thinks Hampshire’s season has been going well so far, and she’s looking forward to the postseason. After losses in the state preliminary round the past two years, the Raiders are looking for their first state win since the program’s revival in 2017.

“Our team dynamic is so good this season. I feel like we all have such a good relationship as a team and I think that’s helped us so, so much,” Puttick said. “I just think we work so well together and I see us doing some pretty good things this season.”