The Panther Ladies (19-1) won the heart of every fan at the state regional game in Greene on Saturday. The Ladies gave it everything they had and more, holding two time reigning state champion Whitney Point Eagles (17-1) to one goal. [private]Facing a constant onslaught of WP shots at their goal, the Ladies defense kept the ball out of their goal with determination, grit and luck.
For more than ten minutes, the Panthers primary concern was defense. In the opening minutes, the Eagles had corner after corner, but couldn’t capitalize. The Panthers struggled to get the ball to the other end of the field. Then, as often happens in field hockey, the Panthers moved the ball down in WP territory, and got their first corner. On the corner, Meg Henry got the ball to Liz Ryan and Ryan sent a 40 foot shot at the goal and scored. The Panthers led 1-0.
The lead didn’t last long.
The Eagles took the ball right back in front of the Panther goal. One minute after the Panther goal, the Eagles had one of their own. In a scene that was almost a replay of the Panthers goal, Eagle Leanne Bough sent a forty foot shot into the Panther net to tie the score.
The remaining 65 minutes of play, 45 of it regulation and two 10 minute (7 on 7 players) overtimes, was a scoring tie, 0-0.
But it sure was exciting. The play was outstanding, the Panther defense constantly being tested and holding up to everything the Eagles could throw at them. Panther goalie Kaitlin Backes (12 saves) was spectacular. With incoming Eagle shots (27) constantly flying at the goal, beside the goal, over the goal and hitting the posts, she held her ground and stopped everything that may have ended up in the goal. Diving and kicking, she used about every goalie move there is. She had help, the entire team contributed. Some players played more defense than they had the entire season combined. It was a nerve wracking, get that ball out of there, watch. A couple of times just seeing the ball more than 60 feet away from the goal was a chance to catch a breath.
Ally Burdick, a key player in the offense, was unable to continue playing after battling cramps in her right leg for much of the first overtime. With her mobility severely hampered, she went to the ground with two minutes expired in the second overtime and couldn’t get up and had to be helped off the field.
But the Panthers battled on. When the two overtime periods ended, the Panthers had the same amount of goals the Eagles did, sending the game into strokes.
Strokes are a tie breaker. Five, coach-chosen players of each team go one-on-one against the opposing goalie. Whoever gets the most goals wins the game. Teams alternate, with each taking one chance, then the other team. It all came down to the last shot after ten attempts. When all the shots were over, three Eagles were successful getting a goal and only two Panthers were. The Eagles were awarded the win.
In this game there was no loser. On the way out, fans from both sides could be heard talking about what a great game it was.
Whitney Point goalie Katie Cafferty had seven saves. Hoosick Falls had 13 shots and 6 corners. [/private]