The stage is set for the semifinals and it landed where everyone expected it would.
The Michigan High School Field Hockey Division 1 state tournament kicked off with quarterfinal matches on Tuesday with only one minor upset and the top three seeds all advancing to Thursday’s semifinals.
Top seed and defending state champion Dexter pitched another shutout with a 4-0 win over Marian. The Dreadnaughts scored a goal in every period to advance. Abby Tamer had three goals and Shannon Schoch scored once. Tamer and Kylee Niswonger earned assists. Hannah Baldwin went the distance to earn the shutout.
The Dreadnaughts will face a strong Saline club in the semifinals. The Hornets, the fifth seed, scored a 3-1 win over fourth-seeded Huron.
In the other side of the bracket, the other two Ann Arbor schools took care of business rather easily and with identical 7-2 wins.
Skyline, the third seed, defeated Novi while Pioneer, seeded second, knocked off Forest Hills.
The Pioneers led 2-0 after the first period and 5-0 at halftime. Lila Harlock, Zoe Bormet and Ava Morgeson each had two goals in the win. Teddy Tolbert scored once. Natalie Millman had two assists. May Flanders also had an assist. Ella Roberts played 45 minutes in goal and was perfect in the pipes.
Pioneer and Skyline played twice in the regular season. The teams tied 1-1 on Sept. 16 and the Pioneers won 4-2 on Sept. 30.
The Dreadnaughts, unbeaten this season, defeated Saline 3-0 on Sept. 11 and 2-0 on Oct. 2.
