TAUNTON – After consecutive losses in the Div. 1 state final over the last two years, the top-seeded Walpole field hockey team is headed back for a crack at redemption.

Behind a sensational defensive effort to stave off several waves of trouble, as well as an early lead, the Porkers (21-1) knocked off the last unbeaten Div. 1 team Wednesday night with a 4-2 state semifinal win over No. 4 Franklin.

The Panthers (20-1-1) used 19 corners to out-shoot Walpole 18-9, but junior Izzy Adams buried two goals to lead the Porkers. Goalie Abby Johnson was tremendous with 11 saves, while senior Katie Colleran had three of the team’s five defensive saves despite moments of chaos inside the circle.

Walpole will meet two-time defending champion Andover in the state final for a third straight year on Saturday at WPI.

“Especially the seniors that have been around here for three years, we’ve gone through (this) a few times already, we just want it so, so bad,” Colleran said. “I’m done with losing, I just want it.”

“I’m so excited,” Adams added. “We’ve just got to finish it this time.”

After Bishop Feehan took them to scoreless double overtime, a quick offensive start was a major focus for the Porkers against a loaded Franklin group. Senior captain Kerin Birch delivered on their first corner, sending in an aerial for a 1-0 lead within the opening three minutes.

Franklin immediately responded with its first major wave of pressure, and junior Raena Crandall even got a shot around Johnson. But Walpole got a stick on it to prevent the neutralizer, and eventually went on to hold off three straight Panthers corners to end the first quarter.

Just over two minutes later, Adams buried a 2-0 lead off Taylor Carter’s assist.

“We knew Franklin was a really good team so going into this, we knew that we had to score early,” Adams said. “We just (kept) pushing the gas until the end.”

The Panthers carried play over the last 12 minutes of the half and the first few minutes of the third quarter. They had seven corners and seven shots in the second, but Walpole’s back line was relentless. Colleran got her first defensive save in the sequence.

“We struggled to dig it out clean (in the second),” said Porkers head coach Jen Quinn. “Other than that, I thought defensively they were sound and strong. … They just do a good job of really working together and supporting each other on the field.”

Walpole would transition past midfield a few times, but Franklin kept coming. An aerial on another corner at the start of the third was somehow stopped in the air and on the bounce, but the Panthers buried another chance with a goal from Haley Wernig.

It took just a couple minutes for the Porkers to get the goal back with Adams’ second score as they controlled play for much of the rest of the frame, and made it 4-1 with a goal from Kendal Cusack entering the fourth. Crandall’s goal with 4:14 left cut the Franklin deficit to 4-2, but Walpole held on from there.

“I thought it was a little frantic down there overall, but even with all that, they still maintained that level of composure and kind of did what they needed to do,” Quinn said. “I thought it was good. (Johnson) was unbelievable. She was awesome.”

“We knew that they were a good team and we had to stay composed,” Colleran added. “It was a lot (of corners). … Our defensive corner group just stayed together.”

Other action

Emily Layton scored twice as No. 3 Monomoy (17-2-3) rallied to defeat second-seeded Manchester-Essex 2-1 in a Div. 4 state semifinal. The Hornets (17-2-3) took a 1-0 lead into the fourth quarter on a goal by Laila Mears.

Bella Difiore scored twice as No. 2 Andover (19-2) blanked No. 3 Wachusett 3-0 in the Div. 1 state semifinals. … Rach Egan scored the lone tally as No. 1 Watertown (21-0) ousted No. 4 Sandwich 1-0.