The Tewksbury Memorial High School field hockey (13-2-4) team was seeded fifth in the Division 2 North field hockey tournament, and their quest for a State Title began ...and ended on Wednesday at home against Georgetown (No. 12).

Unfortunetly, the Redmen, who had home-field advantage and were favored to win, lost 1-0 to the Royals (9-5-5).

"The Georgetown goalie had a phenominal game," said Coach Patricia Ryser. "We out played them but the goalie kept them in the game.  As always, it's heartbreaking to lose, but we did have a very good season."

Georgetown will face Newburyport in the upcoming quarterfinals. Newburyport defeated Wilmington, 2-0, in round one.

Season Wrap-Up

The Redmen are no strangers to tournament action, for this is the 14th straight season that Tewksbury qualified for states.

Fans and players got a sense of deja-vu when they lost in round-one on Wednesday, for Tewksbury made a swift exit from the 2009 MIAA playoffs, as well, when they lost in the first-round to Bishop Fenwick, 3-1.

Key Goal Scorers 

Captain Ally Greene was a force offensively for the Redmen throughout the season. Her speed and quick feet made her hard for any defense to handle.

Greene registered a career-high four goals during the second game of the season against Lawrence, leading her squad to the 5-0 victory. 

Last year Greene proved she is capable of scoring under tournament pressure, as well. She had a notable goal in the first round game, allowing her team to go up 1-0 in the second half.

Unfortunetly for the Redmen, not even Greene was able to secure a goal in the playoffs this time around.

Ali Russell and Shelby Madore also proved themselves as offensive powerhouses this season.

A notable outing for Greene, Russell, and Madore was back on Oct. 13, when each player registered two goals a piece against Lawrence. The girls led their squad to the one-sided 8-0 shutout.  

Goalkeepers

The starting goalkeeper for the Redmen in the 2010 season was sophomore Rachel Pendleton. Pendleton had six shutouts on the season. 

"I think to be a good goalie you need good footwork, and to be a little crazy. You can't be afraid of the ball," said Pendleton. 

Sophomore Riley Ryan was the backup goalkeeper for Tewksbury. Riley was called up to the starting position now and then throughout the season, specifically when Pendleton was out with the flu.

Riley registered her first shutout of the season during the game against the Lancers.

Midfield/Defense

Captain Leanne Tucker was a force for the Redmen in the midfield. Tucker oftentimes set her teammates up with assists, and also acted as the rock protecting the Redmen keeper. 

Last year, Tucker made a name for herself as a dominant player in the MVC when she was named a Merrimack Valley All-Star selection for 2009-10 season.

Michelle Tully was the third and final Tewksbury captain. The veteran provided the Redmen with consistency and a high-level of play. 

Tully suffered a broken finger mid-season and missed a few games, including the Sept. 27 match against Bedford, but she came back and finished out the season with her teammates.

Coaching Staff

Ryser has been leading the Redmen for 15 seasons. Her squad has qualified for the MIAA tournament for 14 straight seasons.

"We have made it into the tournament every year except my first season when we had to rebuild," Ryser said.

Ryser also said she was proud that her team had three all-conference players: Sr. Leanne Tucker, Sr. Ally Greene and Jr. Sheri Liggiero and two all-stars: Sr. Carolyn Phaneuf and Jr.Sarah Hogan.