By STEVE MAZZONE

Sports writer

WOONSOCKET -- The demeanor of Woonsocket’s players in Thursday’s Division IV quarterfinal matchup with visiting Mount Pleasant wasn’t typical of a team playing in the postseason.
The Villa Novans’ bench showed no signs of nerves and were often giddy during a cold afternoon at the Wolney Family Soccer Complex. The players on the field didn’t look too tense as well, smiling frequently and joking with each other on more than a few occassions.
Even though it may not appear that way, high-scoring junior Kristen Cahill admits her squad -- one that tied Tolman for the best record in the league -- is serious when it is on the field.

“We’re all best friends anyways so we always joke around no matter what,” she said. “Even when we played Tolman, which wasn’t a relaxed game, we joke around. But when we deal with the ball we are intense. When the ball is on the other end, we’ll make our jokes.”
Relaxed (but focused) on Thursday, Woonsocket took its first step to what it hopes will be  another chance at a state crown with a 4-0 victory over the Kilties. In typical fashion, Cahill ignited the offense with three goals.
“We dominated them the first time and I expected us to do the same thing this time,” said WHS head coach Dale Seward, whose team beat Mount Pleasant by an identical 4-0 score in its only regular season contest on Oct. 3. “It went as I planned. I was able to put our subs in, so I think it was a good game.”
“They’re loaded,” Kilties coach Chris Coleman said. “They’re very deep and they’re very skilled.”
Woonsocket went into the game as a No. 2 seed in IV-North by virtue of a coin flip. The Villa Novans and the defending state titlist Tolman, the top seed, finished the regular season with identical 14-0-2 marks with both their ties coming against each other in two evenly-matched games.
Woonsocket did its damage early against the Kilties, scoring three times in the game’s first 15 minutes, courtesy of a pair of goals from Cahill and another tally from teammate Kearly Staples. Seward knew his team would be ready to play despite the mismatch on the field. In its first postseason appearance ever in the team’s 13-year history, the Kilties entered the contest with a 7-7-2 mark to earn the third seed in IV-South. 
“We play all our games the same way,” he said.” They’ve learned hopefully to do that, that way it doesn’t matter if it’s a weak or strong team. You play the same way all the time.
“I told them, ‘Score early, get a few in and you can settle into the game and you don’t have to worry as much.’”
Cahill, who has 29 goals for the season, got things started for the Villa Novans, scoring just 4:53 into the contest on an assist by Sam Landry. She nailed what would be the eventual game-winner from about 15 yards in front of the cage.
“Sam got the ball on a breakaway and she got a touch on the ball and I was able to get it from there,” Cahill said. “I just booted it with my left foot and into the goal.”
Woonsocket tripled that advantage when Staples and Cahill were able to score just two-minutes apart, beginning at the 13th minute. The Villa Novans controlled most of the game with the majority of action occurring near the Kilties’ zone. Cahill finished the scoring with the lone goal in the second half.
“They have kids that can cut loose and create their own shots on an assist,” Coleman said. ‘That’s what we were telling (our players). ‘They are beating us to the ball. They are beating us to the ball.’ In the first 20-25 minutes of the game, I told them, ‘Guys, you got to go out and hustle and beat them to the ball and just get a foot on it and get it away from them.’ We did that. The last 15 minutes of the first half was strong for us and it carried over to the second half. They’re a good, ball-control team. They control the ball well and that frustrates us.”
Next up for Woonsocket is a semifinal contest with Rogers. The Vikings, the top seed in IV-South, easily defeated Bishop Keough, 4-0, in their quarterfinal contest, also on Thursday. The two team will square off on Monday night at 8 at Conley Field.
“We obviously want to get back to the states,” said Cahill, who was on last year’s team that was shocked by Shea in the semifinals. “We just need to stay focused.”
***
Woonsocket 3 1 - 4
Mount Pleasant 0 0 - 1
First half - 1. W, Kristin Cahill (Sam Landry) 4:53; 2. Kearly Staples (Unassisted) 13:00; 3. W, Cahill (Staples) 15:00.
Second half - 4. W, Cahill (Landry) 12:42.
Saves - W, Katie-Rose Precourt 5. Shots - W 12. MP 4.