Cade Taccini on target in double OT as No. 2 Franklin tops No. 10 Hopkinton in D1 field hockey quarters

Franklin freshman Cade Taccini (center) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime to beat No. 10 Hopkinton and send the No. 2 Panthers to the Division 1 state semifinals. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

FRANKLIN — One clean strike was all it took to send second-seeded Franklin to the Division 1 field hockey semifinals.

Freshman Cade Taccini lined up for the penalty stroke in double overtime on Monday night and chipped the ball into the net’s top left corner to give the host Panthers a 2-1 win over No. 10 Hopkinton.

“I knew that was my moment,” Taccini said. “I just remember putting the ball on the line, and I knew my sweet spot.”

The Panthers (16-2-3) now get ready to face No. 3 Wellesley (20-1-0) in a state semifinal Wednesday (7 p.m.) at Westborough High. The Hillers’ season ends at 9-7-5.

Franklin had to fight extra-time for the win after Hillers senior Ella Fowler scored off a penalty corner on expired time to force overtime. But the hosts dominated 7-vs-7 play, and their majority underclass core powered through to the win.

“I’m not surprised,” coach Michelle Hess said about her young team. “They came into the preseason with this confidence that they were in it from the start.”

Neither team could gain an advantage until the second half, when Panthers junior Kiley Silvestri opened the scoring in the third quarter after back-to-back penalty corners.

Franklin’s Kiley Silvestri (6) holds the ball up as she celebrates her goal against Hopkinton with teammate Penelope Brady (center) and the rest of her teammates Monday. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

“When I got the stroke, I knew I was gonna [score],” Silvestri said. “I went in, scored, came back out, and the whole bench was pumped.”

Hopkinton’s defense effectively shut down Franklin’s top scorers — sophomore Penelope Brady and senior Addi Weiss — forcing the Panthers to find alternate routes to score. Hopkinton defenders Lucie Mato and Tenley Winn shut down seven of the Panthers’ eight penalty corners, and goalie Riley Curtin finished with 12 saves.

Hopkinton goalie Riley Curtin stones Franklin’s Cade Taccini from in tight early on in Monday's Division 1 quarterfinal in Franklin. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

The Panthers, who last made the state semis in 2023, now ain for their first state championship appearance in program history.

“I’m blessed with players that love this sport, and they come out every single day and work hard,” Hess said. “I think developing that culture and that tradition, we’re starting to have the expectation every single year to get back here.”

Hopkinton's Ella Fowler (left) tries to cut off Franklin’s Cade Taccini in second quarter action Monday.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

The Franklin bench can't believe it when Hopkinton ties the game in added time to force overtime in their Division 1 field hockey quarterfinal ... Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

... but Cade Taccini made sure Franklin was victorious in the end, with her game-winning penalty stroke in double OT. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff