Hanover's Reilly Loughman closely guards Hollis Brookline's Sabrina Hill, left, during last year's Division II semifinals. The two will see each other again in tonight's Divison II title game at Stellos Stadium. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Perhaps the third time can be the charm tonight for the Hollis Brookline High School girls lacrosse team.

The Cavaliers have tasted the frustration of consecutive Division II title game losses to Portsmouth the last two years. But tonight the No. 3 Cavs get another shot, not against Portsmouth (now in tonight’s Division I final), but rather No. 1 Hanover at 7 p.m. at Stellos Stadium.

“I have a very confident feeling going into this game,” Cavs coach Linda Haytayan. “In those games we lost in mid-season, I feel we worked out a lot of the kinks. … We’re peaking at just the right time.”

One of the losses for the Cavaliers (15-4) came three weeks ago against the Bears up in Hanover, an 11-10 overtime game. But HB was without two key starters, Mckenna Maguire and Daniella Allanach, due to injuries. Haytayan said that night that the Cavs “played their best game of the season.”

In that contest, the Hill sisters, Alyssa and Sabrina, combined for eight goals. Hanover’s Kali McDonnell scored six. The Cavs will also be wary of Bears sophomore Maggie Higgins.

Haytayan knows, however, that the tournament finals environment the last couple of years will give her team a sense of comfort. Last year the Cavs beat Hanover in the semis to reach the finals.

“Absolutely,” she said. “That whole environment can be a little unnerving.”

Of course there are several other Cavalies who felt the pain of the other two title game defeats – seniors Alyssa Hill, Bella Haytayan, Julia Vella Daniella Allanach, Paige Magnuszewski, and Paige Mello. Mello had seven draw controls in the Hanover game. They’ll certainly be motivated. In the semis they avenged two regular season losses to Windham.

Hanover is seeking its fourth title – the Bears were the last team to win before Portsmouth went on its five year run – while HB is seeking its first. For that to happen, the task is simple, Haytayan said. Just play HB lacrosse.

“I think we have to just stay composed, play our game, and communicate – especially on defense.”

SOFTBALL, VOLLEYBALL, TENNIS

Also tonight, No. 4 Hollis Brookline will go up against No. 1, unbeaten Kingswood at 7 p.m. at Plymouth State’s D&M Field. The two teams did not play during the regular season…

It’s a busy HB day. The No. 2 Cavs boys volleyball team will host No. 7 Souhegan in the quarterfinals at 6 p.m. HB won 3-1 during the regular season…

The tennis boys and girls double tournament, despite the sketchy weather, was played on Monday and Nashua South has a semifinal duo. The No.3 tandem of Atul Phadke and Abhinav Avvaru won their matches and will now face Bedford’s Lucas and Logan Mack Thursday at 3 p.m. at Southern New Hampshire University.

Today, BG’s Nick Xie, seeded second, will play Bedford’s Logan Mack, seeded fourth in the boys singles at 3 p.m. at SNHU. Bedford’s No. 3 Lucas Mack and Lebanon’s No. 1 Nolan Arado will square off in the other semi, the winners to play immediately after.

There are no locals left in the girls tourney after No. 7 Souhegan’s Callie Perrin fell in the quarterfinals this past Saturday.

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