In their first meeting, Lower Moreland won 1-0, and this result was a key moment in the Bears young 2023 season. In our post-game talk, our players were very upset about losing to neighboring school Lo Mo. They clearly outplayed us, but the Bears felt they wanted to work hard to be able to compete with teams like this.
As a new coach, I was pleasantly surprised to hear team captain, Maggie Morrow and others vocalize that they were disappointed and frustrated that they had lost. In the past, they said that when losses built up, they just expected to lose and became complacent with the expected outcome. They were determined to make this year different.
So, this game was definitely on our radar to show the team’s improvement, resiliency and winning mindset.
With today's contest being the 3rd game in a row in the heat, Upper Moreland started out slow in the first quarter, but started playing their game about 10 minutes in. Most of the play was between the 25’s but when LO MO got the ball in our circle Kelly Bates and Eowyn Stainback played well to get the ball out. Goalie Ash Conrad also made several key saves in the first quarter to keep the game scoreless.
In the 2nd quarter, the Bears took control. Captain Cambrie Richmond controlled the midfield giving Ava Bailey, Maggie Morrow and Olivia Meakim multiple scoring opportunities.
We were also trying to work a press on Lower Moreland and trying to force them where we wanted the ball to go and as the game went on it really started working. Ella Gould and Melissa Torpey played the press well forcing LO Mo into difficult situations.
In the 3rd quarter, the Lions bounced back pressuring the Bears, but the defense led by Izzy Duncan held tight. With the Bears starting goalie out, Tierney Hogan was splitting time with Conrad and Hogan made several key saves while down on the turf with her teammates backing her up. That was stressful and I thought they may score, but right after that we went down to our attack circle and drew a corner and the Bears had multiple other scoring opportunities.
The game was very back and forth. For a 0-0 field hockey game, it was pretty exciting with many scoring opportunities and very aggressive high level fast play.

After a scoreless regulation, the game went into OT. The Lions started man down because of a yellow card slide tackle on a Bears player going to goal with 53 seconds left in the game. Then with 4:37 left in OT, the bears drew a corner. Kelly Bates inserted to Melissa Torpey and she passed to Cambrie Richmond who shot a bullet to the goalie's pads! Ava Bailey who was playing the pads tipped it in for the dramatic OT win!! We had never even practiced an OT corner, so Richmond and her teammates talked about it and came up with that play on the spot.
Goalie Ash Conrad made 9 saves in regulation and did not have to make a save in OT. Hogan made 3 saves to preserve the shutout.