Wissahickon is the lone SOL field hockey team still standing after Thursday’s 2-1 OT win over District XII champion Cardinal O’Hara.
(1-4) Wissahickon 2, (12-1) Cardinal O’Hara 1 (OT)
The odds were stacked against the Trojans when – with five minutes remaining in the first overtime period – senior Jackie Hibbs received a yellow card, forcing Wissahickon to play down a man for the remainder of OT.
“We were playing seven against six,” coach Lucy Gil said. “I thought we were goners at that point.”
Her players apparently had other ideas.
“It was really hard,” sophomore sweeper Ashley Laskowitz said. “But we just had to keep positive. We had the game the whole time, so we stayed positive and kept moving forward.”
When the Trojans were awarded a 16-yard hit in their own defensive end, junior Melanie Fry put the wheels in motion for what would be the dramatic game winner.
“Instead of waiting for one of the defensemen, she just took the ball and took off, and she’s so fast,” Gil said. “She would hit the ball ahead and beat the defenseman there.
“Our other forward, Emily Gallagher, went with her, and Mel dished it off to Emily around the 25. Emily only had the goalie to beat, and that was that.”
“It was very exciting,” Laskowitz said. “I was speechless. I couldn’t believe that had just happened. It was really crazy.”
O’Hara dominated the game statistically, collecting 16 corners to just eight for the Trojans and holding a decisive 19-3 advantage in shots. The difference in the game was sophomore goalie Emoni Fisher, who was credited with 13 saves in a stellar outing.
“Their goalie did not make one save, and my goalie made 13,” Gil said. “When we played CB South, they had six shots and four went in. I sat down with her after that game and I told her she had to be focused and that you can’t let your team down like that.
“You know what – she heeded all of my advice, and she came out and was on fire today.”
Gil lauded the strong showings of center back Angela Virtu and Laskowitz.
“They were just amazing,” the Trojans’ coach said. “They did not let anything come through.”
Communication, according to Laskowitz, was key.
“Today we really talked a lot, and we were really on point with everything we were doing,” the sophomore defensive back said. “We were just working as a whole team and not individuals today.”
What made O’Hara so tough to defend?
“They were really passing around us,” Laskowitz said. “We started to step up, and we continued to get the ball.
“It’s also a lot easier to know you have a good goalie behind you when you miss the ball yourself.”
Earlier, the Trojans took a 1-0 lead at the 11:25 mark of the first half when Caroline Kovacs scored (Hibbs assist). That lead held until O’Hara knotted the score with 2:22 remaining in regulation, setting the stage for overtime and the Trojans’ remarkable finish.
“They had a lot of speed, and they were quick on the restarts and caught us off guard many times,” Gil said. “They could beat one or two people, and then my backfield would pick them up.
“They pummeled us with corners, and they hit the ball really hard, but it doesn’t always work out.”
In Saturday’s state quarterfinal round, the Trojans will face a Lower Dauphin squad that defeated Central Bucks South in Wednesday’s opening round.
“It’s really exciting,” Laskowitz said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of pressure. It’s something we do every day, and we have a lot of fun going out there playing as a team.”
“We’re thrilled,” Gil added. “We’re the only SOL and District One team left, and we’re really excited.”
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