North Andover three-sport star Julianna Taylor excels on and off the ice, joins 2,000 save club
North Andover senior Julianna Taylor is a three-sport star with big dreams to close out her high school career. In addition to stopping a lot of pucks on the ice, she is also excelling in academics and volunteering in her free time.
Taylor and the Haverhill-Pentucket-North Andover girls' hockey team blanked Franklin, 4-0, in the opening round of the state tournament on Wednesday night. They'll next meet Shawsheen Valley Tech in the Sweet 16 on Sunday as the senior goalie looks to close out a brilliant four-year career.
"It's been great. A lot of team accomplishments, a lot of self accomplishments. But the only one I really care about is the playoffs," Taylor told WBZ-TV.
While she owns plenty of personal honors from her time in net, nothing would please Taylor more than a title run to close out her high school playing days.
"I think everyone's dreamed of that moment when you can play at TD Garden," she said. "That's just what everyone on this team wants, so that's about what we're all going for right now."
The 2,000-save club
Throughout her high school career, Taylor has picked up plenty of accolades along the way. She's been a four-time conference All-Star and a Boston Herald All-Scholastic selection.
She's also just one of two female goalies in Massachusetts high school history to notch 2,000 or more saves. That's a lot of shots that Taylor has turned away during her career.
"It means a lot," she said of that honor. "All the hard work and determination, it led to something."
There were many nights over her four-year career where Taylor was pummeled with shots. But she stood tall and amassed 21 shutouts, leaving her teammates in awe.
"I didn't even say 'How'd you do that?' I gave her a hug and said I'm so grateful you're on this team," recalled senior Paige Nottingham.
Her head coach, Gary Kane, is grateful as well. He said Taylor has made an impact on the team from her first day as a freshman.
"There was a team that was undefeated and kind of running through everybody. She was the first goaltender to shut them out for more than one period," Kane recalled. "And so again, right off the bat, she was able to help our team play at a higher level."
Taylor's net is her domain
"I'm not afraid to be chippy," she said. "I'll hit someone if I have to. I'm not gonna try to do that, but ... yeah."
Taylor was essentially trucked by a girl in a game against Franklin, but she didn't sell the hit by laying on the ice. Instead, she started to do snow angels.
"I don't like laying there pretending I'm hurt, so I just thought to do something to put a laugh on everyone's face," she recalled. "To show them that I'm OK."
A three-sport athlete
Taylor isn't just a star goalie. She's has also excelled in lacrosse and field hockey.
She didn't try field hockey util her sophomore year, but Taylor quickly rose to become a two-time league All-Star and team captain.
"She brings tenacity," said North Andover varsity field hockey coach Andrea Van Horn. "She brings excitement, she brings wit, she brings intelligence and skill."
"She's a no-nonsense kind of person," added Van Horn. "She sets a really high expectation for her teammates and accepts only their best effort. If she thinks you're not giving your best effort, she's going to tell you and she's going to help you."
Taylor an MVP off the ice
Off the ice, Taylor never stops. She joined the High School DECA program, competitions which prepare students to be business leaders and entrepreneurs. She beat out 20 others to win districts, but is missing States because of hockey.
"I just loved it because I plan on majoring in business in college," said Taylor. "So it really helps me learn the business aspect of the world."
"I think it's more about the competition, especially a student like Julianna who likes to win," said Peter Marfione, the DECA advisor and a business and marketing teacher at North Andover. "It gives them a great opportunity to compete in a different way. It's not sports, it's like using skills in a classroom, using business skills, using skills hopefully they'll hopefully use later in life if they're gonna go into these fields."
Taylor also volunteers, spending time with Best Buddies and the Special Olympics.
"They're all just great people, and it's just cool to be a part of something like that, something bigger than yourself," said Taylor.
She is proud of her family, from mom Melissa, older sister Mackenzie, and her father Jim, who introduced her to hockey when she was just four years old.
"They've meant everything," Taylor said of her family. "They're just the most important people that I know. They just encourage me to do everything and they gave me the possibility to do everything that I want to in my life. I'm just very thankful for them."
"She's done this, not us," said Jim Taylor. "We've enjoyed the ride, we've enjoyed watching her every step of the way. Watching her challenge herself to be better every single day is what makes us proud. And the way that she cares about other people makes us even more proud."
