Michelle Winning questioned how her team would respond after allowing a goal during its quarterfinal match of the Class I girls soccer tournament. Her team supplied a swift answer.

After Bedford allowed its first goal of the game, pulling John Stark within 3-1 with 14:17 remaining in the second half, Sarah Kelly notched her second tally of the match to push the edge back to three just over one minute later.

The Bulldogs advanced with a 4-1 victory on Saturday, Oct. 31, to earn a match up with Hollis-Brookline, which eliminated the locals last season in the same round of the postseason.

“I think it was important to be scored on, and then to respond,” said head coach Winning. “If we get down early, it’s good to know we can come right back.”

Bedford’s semifinal meeting with the Cavaliers, scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4, matches two teams with 16-2-0 records. Both Hollis-Brookline losses were to the Bulldogs, 3-1 and 1-0.

Against John Stark, Molly Keefe took a feed from Colleen Murray and scored about halfway through the first half to give her team a 1-0 advantage. Murray added a goal of her own less than two minutes later. Kelly’s first goal came less than five minutes before halftime, and Bedford went into the intermission with a 3-0 lead.

However, senior defensive back Kirsten Jean left the game with an injury to her leg. She did not return to the pitch.

Within the first 10 minutes of the game, goaltender Aubrey Ouellet kept the Generals off the scoreboard when she came charging out of the net to kick the ball away from fast approaching Emily Pineault.

Winning said her team’s trip to last year’s semifinal should help relax the group. “We’ve been there once and that makes a huge difference,” said the Bulldog coach. “Experience will be key for us, as well as the senior leadership that we have now.”

John Stark head coach Heather Doucette said she was impressed with Bedford’s skill and with the team’s maturity.

“Hollis-Brookline will give them a run, but I’d be surprised if they didn’t win it all,” said Doucette. “Michelle has a quality team. There’s a good chance I’ll be rooting for her. It’s their time.”