WINDSOR — On paper, Saturday’s Vermont Division III playoff quarterfinal field hockey contest between Windsor High and Lyndon appeared a fairly even matchup. However, the host Yellowjackets scored early and often en route to an 8-1 victory.

Midfielder Mackenzie Kleefisch scored four goals and added two assists to push Windsor (8-6) past the Vikings (5-9). Second-year Yellowjackets head coach Blake Wardwell credited her team’s traditionally difficult schedule for readying it for the postseason. Windsor’s only two Division III opponents this fall were Springfield and Fair Haven.

“We play a schedule heavy with Division II and Division I teams to prepare for the playoffs,” said Wardwell, formerly a star athlete at Woodstock High and Castleton University. “That’s because of the league system in Vermont. We’d have to travel far to play most of the teams in our division.”

“We have some tough losses, but we know they’re making us stronger. It makes us work offensively at keeping our sticks low or dodging and defensively at marking tightly and keeping our feet out of the way.”

Windsor advanced to face seventh-seeded Missisquoi (7-3-3) at a neutral location and date to be determined. The Thunderbirds (5-10) upset second-seeded North Country (7-3-3) for only their second victory in their last seven games. Windsor and Missisquoi didn’t play during the regular season.

The Division III bracket lists semifinal games as occurring either Monday or Tuesday. Artificial turf fields at locations such as South Burlington High, the University of Vermont or Norwich University have been utilzed in previous years.

Hannah Tenney scored just 33 seconds into the game, out of a goalmouth scramble and off a Kleefisch assist. The Yellowjackets doubled their lead eight minutes later, Gabby Gilbert scoring from in close and again, off a Kleefisch feed.

The score moved to 3-0 after only another 36 seconds, Kleefisch scoring on a 15-yard shot after racing upfield on a fast break. Gilbert was awarded the assist.

Kleefisch, also a softball standout, scored her second goal with three minutes remaining in the first quarter, converting a Gianna Felice pass. The second quarter saw Gwen Ambrose score once and Kleefisch add her third and fourth tallies for a 7-0 halftime lead.

“She’s a strong, confident player with stick skills and speed and she sees the field well,” Wardwell said. “She practices hard and she’s a great natural athlete.”

Grace Blanchard had the hosts’ only goal after the break and Lyndon’s Taylor Ott closed the scoring late. Windsor goaltender Sydney Perry made five saves.

“We play as a unit and don’t get down on ourselves,” Wardwell said. “One of the concerning things until today was scoring goals. But we’ve been working on it all season and it’s paying off.”

Windsor won three consecutive titles from 2019-21 but was eliminated from last season’s semifinals by eventual champion Montpelier, 3-2. The Solons (13-2) are top-seeded in this year’s draw and face fourth-seeded Fair Haven (5-8-1) in the semifinals.

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Notes: Lyndon’s players wore the wire goggles previously mandated by the National High School Federation. The Yellowjackets did not… The game’s 10 a.m. start came about because the Windsor football team hosted Poultney at 1 p.m. on an adjacent field for a Vermont Division III playoff game… Lyndon lost the 2021 division final to Windsor… Thetford, which no longer has a field hockey program, last competed in the playoffs in 2001, when it lost in the Division III finals. The Panthers exited the sport with a 20-15-1 postseason record and the 1984 division title… Oxbow, also out of the field hockey business, last competed in the playoffs in 1995. The Olympians had a 15-16-2 postseason mark and won the 1986 Division III crown… How about South Royalton? The now defunct school left field hockey in 1980 and was 2-4 in playoff games.