WINTHROP – For Stearns coach Lori Lincoln, the journey to the Eastern C field hockey final took more than 25 years to complete.

It was worth the wait.

Holly Franck scored two goals and assisted on another to lead fourth-seeded Stearns to a 3-1 victory over No. 2 Winthrop on Wednesday.

“I played on the first Stearns field hockey team,” said Lincoln, who graduated in 1980. “(This program) has never made it past the semis so it’s gratifying to win this one today.”

Midway through the first half, Stearns (13-4) held off six consecutive penalty corner opportunities by Winthrop (14-1-2) in a three-minute span.

Whenever Winthrop took a shot, a Stearns defender would stop the ball dead and clear it out of the circle. The few that trickled through were kicked away by keeper Deanna Michaud (14 saves).

“If they couldn’t stop the ball with their sticks,” Winthrop coach Sharon Coulton said of the Stearns backline of defenders, “they did whatever they could.”

After Stearns thwarted Winthrop’s penalty corner barrage, it cashed in on one of its own. Hilary Arsenault settled an inbounding pass and slid it across to the mid-circle area to Franck.

“(The ball) came across to me and I one-timed it,” said Franck. “It happened so quick I was surprised.”

Stearns expanded on its 1-0 halftime lead with a goal less than two minutes into the second half. Franck blasted a hard shot from the right wing off a penalty corner that was re-directed in front by Felicia Achorn past Winthrop keeper Keltie Mullen (four saves).

The two-goal deficit was a first for the Ramblers this season, but the Minutemen wanted more.

“They were feeling good, but they wanted more space,” Lincoln said.

Franck’s second goal midway through the second half put Stearns up by three. With a shot from the right side rolling across the crease, Franck rushed in uncovered to flip the ball into the open cage.

“Once we got down by three it was important just to score,” said Coulton. “I think they still thought they could do it.”

Nicole Emery’s goal with 6:33 remaining averted the shutout but the Ramblers never threatened again.

“(The girls) did what I asked them to do today,” said Lincoln. “They played strong defensively. I have 12 senior this year and they weren’t finished playing field hockey.”