WEEDSPORT - Morrisville-Eaton field hockey coach Patty Vaughan didn't hesitate when she had to make a game-deciding choice on Tuesday.
Weedsport's Jessica Springler (left) and Jessica Schlegel comfort goalie Megan Henderson after Morrisville-Eaton scored the game-winning goal on a penalty stroke in double overtime to defeat Weedsport 1-0 during a Section III, Class D semifinal matchup. Reid Silverman / The Citizen
Less than two minutes into the second overtime against Weedsport in the Section III, Class D semifinals, Vaughan had to choose a player to take a penalty stroke after Weedsport was whistled for ball coverage (when a player traps the ball).
Vaughan motioned for senior attacker Randi Jo Holdridge to take the shot.
"We had been in this situation once before," Vaughan said. "We were in double-overtime in a tournament and she scored. (Randi Jo) goes to the weak side. Not many girls go to the right side, most of them go to the left. I knew she had been hard to stop with our goalie."
The sizable crowd that had been hollering seconds earlier fell silent, and Holdridge lifted a low shot past Weedsport goalie Megan Henderson's right side.
With the 1-0 victory, Morrisville-Eaton advances to play Little Falls this Sunday for the Section III crown.
"I looked over and my coach was pointing at me," Holdridge
said as a crowd of body-painted Morrisville-Eaton supporters waited to congratulate her. "I just cleared my head and pictured it going in."
Weedsport coach Theresa Leonardi didn't question the play or the call.
"I don't think our team had any choice," Leonardi said. "Our goalie had fallen and our defender had fallen. If any of them would have tried to move they clearly were going to score. They had no choice but to take the stroke. There was a big pile-up and I'm sure they understand why the officials had to call it."
It was an emotional loss for Weedsport (14-4), which finished a perfect 10-0 in the OHSL West and went on a 14-game win streak during the regular season.
"There's not much more of a heart-breaking way to lose a game than in double-overtime on a penalty stroke," Leonardi said. "We had our chances, they had theirs. In the end they converted on one and we hadn't done so yet."
Vaughan expected a battle from Weedsport. Both teams always seem to be in the mix when the second season rolls around.
"We've played each other so many times in this situation, and I knew it was going to be a good game," Vaughan said. "Good skills, good speed."
After both teams exchanged penalty corners to start the first half, Morrisville-Eaton settled into a groove and proceed to take over on offense.
At one point the team was awarded five penalty corners in a row, but Henderson and the Weedsport defense thwarted every opportunity.
"Megan Henderson was a huge part of that," Leonardi said. "For a sophomore goalie to come and play like that is just tremendous. There are goalies that play their entire career and never have a game like that.
"For her to have one as a sophomore - she's a super sophomore today. She really kept us in the game along with the rest of the defense. They just refused to let them score."
Leonardi called time out with 8:50 to go in the half, and Weedsport regained control. The squad dominated the end of the first half, and most of the second.
"We thought it was a decent time to stop their momentum and to get it back," Leonardi said. "I really felt like we did. The girls really picked it up and played well."
Vaughan also believed Weedsport had the upperhand after intermission.
"We maybe just got a little tired or they turned it up in the second half," Vaughan said. "In the second half they really did do a nice job. We were back on our heels."
Each team had its chances in the first overtime period. Weedsport had several on penalty corners, and Henderson deflected a Amanda Verne shot to keep it scoreless and set up the second seven-on-seven.
Weedsport loses three seniors to graduation, Suzy Lynch, Sherry Seamans and Katie Sperduti.
Leonardi didn't want to see the season end, but was happy with the squad's accomplishments.
"I'm exceptionally proud of all of them," she said. "They had a phenomenal season. They went undefeated in the league. They only lost a total of four games out of 18 all year.
"They played Class A, B, C and D schools and fought them all tough. I'm just really, really proud of them and I'm most sad that we're not going to practice anymore. "I'll miss that."
Staff writer Michelle Prego can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 257 or at citizensports@lee.net
Vaughan motioned for senior attacker Randi Jo Holdridge to take the shot.
"We had been in this situation once before," Vaughan said. "We were in double-overtime in a tournament and she scored. (Randi Jo) goes to the weak side. Not many girls go to the right side, most of them go to the left. I knew she had been hard to stop with our goalie."
The sizable crowd that had been hollering seconds earlier fell silent, and Holdridge lifted a low shot past Weedsport goalie Megan Henderson's right side.
With the 1-0 victory, Morrisville-Eaton advances to play Little Falls this Sunday for the Section III crown.
"I looked over and my coach was pointing at me," Holdridge
said as a crowd of body-painted Morrisville-Eaton supporters waited to congratulate her. "I just cleared my head and pictured it going in."
Weedsport coach Theresa Leonardi didn't question the play or the call.
"I don't think our team had any choice," Leonardi said. "Our goalie had fallen and our defender had fallen. If any of them would have tried to move they clearly were going to score. They had no choice but to take the stroke. There was a big pile-up and I'm sure they understand why the officials had to call it."
It was an emotional loss for Weedsport (14-4), which finished a perfect 10-0 in the OHSL West and went on a 14-game win streak during the regular season.
"There's not much more of a heart-breaking way to lose a game than in double-overtime on a penalty stroke," Leonardi said. "We had our chances, they had theirs. In the end they converted on one and we hadn't done so yet."
Vaughan expected a battle from Weedsport. Both teams always seem to be in the mix when the second season rolls around.
"We've played each other so many times in this situation, and I knew it was going to be a good game," Vaughan said. "Good skills, good speed."
After both teams exchanged penalty corners to start the first half, Morrisville-Eaton settled into a groove and proceed to take over on offense.
At one point the team was awarded five penalty corners in a row, but Henderson and the Weedsport defense thwarted every opportunity.
"Megan Henderson was a huge part of that," Leonardi said. "For a sophomore goalie to come and play like that is just tremendous. There are goalies that play their entire career and never have a game like that.
"For her to have one as a sophomore - she's a super sophomore today. She really kept us in the game along with the rest of the defense. They just refused to let them score."
Leonardi called time out with 8:50 to go in the half, and Weedsport regained control. The squad dominated the end of the first half, and most of the second.
"We thought it was a decent time to stop their momentum and to get it back," Leonardi said. "I really felt like we did. The girls really picked it up and played well."
Vaughan also believed Weedsport had the upperhand after intermission.
"We maybe just got a little tired or they turned it up in the second half," Vaughan said. "In the second half they really did do a nice job. We were back on our heels."
Each team had its chances in the first overtime period. Weedsport had several on penalty corners, and Henderson deflected a Amanda Verne shot to keep it scoreless and set up the second seven-on-seven.
Weedsport loses three seniors to graduation, Suzy Lynch, Sherry Seamans and Katie Sperduti.
Leonardi didn't want to see the season end, but was happy with the squad's accomplishments.
"I'm exceptionally proud of all of them," she said. "They had a phenomenal season. They went undefeated in the league. They only lost a total of four games out of 18 all year.
"They played Class A, B, C and D schools and fought them all tough. I'm just really, really proud of them and I'm most sad that we're not going to practice anymore. "I'll miss that."
Staff writer Michelle Prego can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 257 or at citizensports@lee.net
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