Two late goals lift Allentown over Princeton
ALLENTOWN >> Kelly Noon and her Allentown field hockey teammates knew the magnitude of the game.
As the precious seconds were ticking away, the pressure to end the scoreless tie with Princeton became even greater.
Keeping her focus on the cage, Noon responded to the pressure, taking a pass from Kerri McCarthy and finding the backboard with just over two minutes left in the game.
The Redbirds added another and took a hardfought, 2-0, win over the Tigers on a warm Monday on the grass in Allentown in what was a showdown of the two of best Colonial Valley Conference teams.
The win snaps a threegame losing streak to Princeton and will be a pivotal game in the Colonial Division race.
The win improves Allentown to 6-1 and 3-0 in the division and the Tigers fall to 6-2 and 2-1 in the Colonial.
“The entire team worked together and we pulled through in the end,” said Noon. “We have been working hard. I was on the goalie and I got a good pass from Kerri (McCarthy).”
McCarthy assisted on the second goal, too, as Georgia Kuchar found the back of the cage with just 49 seconds left for a little insurance.
“I am so proud of this team they really clicked,” said Allentown co-coach, Mary Ellen McCarthy. “They have been working so hard in practice. We took a ton of shots and Princeton’s goalie (Grace Cooke) was phenomenal and we kept testing her. Finally, we capitalized on one.”
Yes, Cooke was amazing with 11 saves and she kept the game scoreless until the final minutes.
“Allentown played well,” said Princeton coach Heather Serverson, “It was hard to adjust.”
The Redbirds controlled most of the play and it was Cooke and the Princeton defense frustrating them, but they never let up.
“It was a little frustrating, but I kept telling my team that we have this,” said Kerri McCarthy, who has been the offensive spark for the Redbirds with 12 goals and three assists.
“The last five minutes we just played our heart out and left everything we had on the field. We came out in the second half with the intensity that we needed to keep the pressure on the entire game and never give up.”
Despite Allentown controlling the play and holding a 12-4 advantage in shots, it seemed the game was headed to overtime.
“We had been tied with Princeton and this is always a big game,” said Noon. “This is a game not only that we wanted to win, but we needed to win.”
Besides Noon, McCarthy and Kuchar, the Redbirds got a solid game up and down the field.
“Morgan Vaccaro was great in the middle of the field and this is the first shutout for our goalie Grace (Leard),” said Mary Ellen McCarthy. “Princeton is such a good opponent. This is a game these girls really wanted.”
Princeton (6-2) 0 0 — 0 Allentown (6-1) 0 2 — 2
Goals: A: Noon, Kuchar. Assists: A: McCarthy 2
Shots: P: 4, A: 12. Saves: P: Cooke 11, Leard 4.