Souhegan's Izzy Stevenson is congratulated by her teammates after she scored in overtime to give the Sabers an 8-7 win over Pinkerton in Saturday's  Division I semifinals at Stellos Stadium. (Photo by Dan Doyon)

NASHUA – Just like last year, the Souhegan High girls lacrosse team had to claw back from a deficit against Pinkerton Academy in the Division I semifinals.

And once again it was the combination of Izzy Stevenson and Libby Kennedy that propelled the Sabers back to the championship game.

Second-seeded Souhegan trailed 5-0 in the third quarter before storming back to force overtime, when Kennedy found Stevenson for a goal with 1:28 remaining to lift the Sabers to an 8-7 victory over No. 3 Pinkerton at Stellos Stadium.

“It feels surreal,” Stevenson said. “Coming into the game we were all high energy and then we were playing on our heels and we were like ‘What is happening?’. We had to have the mindset that we are winning this game no matter what happens.”

Souhegan last year fought back from an 8-5 deficit in the semifinals before Stevenson found Kennedy late in regulation to lift Souhegan to a 9-8 win over the Astros.

“Last year it was literally the same way but just the opposite,” Kennedy said. “It felt like a flashback and I just knew our connection was going to go our way.’

The win sets up a rematch of last year’s championship game as Souhegan (17-1) will face two-time defending champion Portsmouth (17-0) on Tuesday at Exeter High School’s William Ball Stadium. The Clippers advanced with a 15-4 win over No. 4 Exeter (13-7) in Saturday’s nightcap

Portsmouth won last year’s championship game, 12-7.

“It’s incredible,” Souhegan coach McKinley Curro Sbordone said. ‘It just shows our resiliency and the depth of talent. In the first half we did not play up to our ability. But we didn’t stop believing. We had to find a way to grit it out.”

Pinkerton (14-6) expanded its 4-0 halftime lead with a goal by Francesa Doyle (four goals) before Averie Curran scored and Kennedy followed with a pair of goals to bring Souhegan to within 5-3 entering the fourth quarter.

After Emmie Curran evened up the game at 6-6, Saokie Folsom gave Pinkerton a 7-6 lead with 2:47 left in regulation. Averue Curran then scored in the final seconds to tie the game at 7-7.

Souhegan began overtime down a player as Kennedy was serving a penalty, Once she came back in she fought off Folsom and found Stevenson for a laser past Pinkerton goalie Paige Fenner.

“The way they connect as teammates comes from a lot of playing time and they see each other so well,” Curro Sbordone said. “In a moment like that they’re confident that they’ll execute it.”

It was another heartbreaker at the hands of the Sabers for Pinkerton.

“It was a great game, we came out and gave everything we had and we fought until the end,” Pinkerton coach Katie Blair said. “It just didn’t fall our way.”

Souhegan’s Emmie Curran defends against Pinkerton’s Ava Michelin in the first quarter of Souhegan’s 8-7 overtime victory in Saturday’s Division I semifinals at Stellos Stadium. (Photo by Dan Doyon)

Souhegan’s matchup with Portsmouth will mark the latest chapter in the sibling rivalry between Curro Sbordone and Portsmouth coach JoJo Kerrigan (Curro).

Portsmouth won the regular season meeting in April, 11-5.

“I truly think we are the team that can beat them,” Curro Sbordone said. “I think people have underestimated us. Our defense has been strong all season long and now it’s time for our offense to put a lot of points on the board.”