Tough end to the season for Notre Dame
LAWRENCEVILLE » The first half produced all the scoring and the final four minutes had enough drama to cover the entire season.
The Notre Dame field hockey team’s season came down to one final penalty corner with no time on the clock.
Just as it had for the last 45 minutes of the game, Moorestown Friends was up to the challenge defensively and stunned the Irish, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of the Non-Public South state tournament on a brisk November Wednesday afternoon at ND’s Msgr. Nolan Field.
The Irish (14-4-2) were the No. 3 seed and the Foxes (15-1-2) were No. 6, but they played much higher.
“We had a great season,” said ND’s 49-year coach Barbara Major. “We couldn’t ask for anymore the kids left it all on the field.”
The Irish have amassed 14 wins in two of the last three seasons and this fall they reached the semifinals of the Mercer County Tournament, before falling to eventual champion Lawrenceville.
“It was a good game and we played our hearts out,” said ND sophomore defender Ava Scudillo. “We played with a lot of heart at the end and I really thought we were going to get a goal. This has been an amazing season and I’m so thankful to be a part of it.”
Notre Dame had a pair of corners in the final 2:29 with the last one coming as time expired. The Irish got a few shots off, one was a goalie save and another was a defensive save and eventually the Foxes cleared the ball and celebrated.
“It was crazy out there when it’s close like that you know anything can happen,” said Moorestown Friends goalie Isabella Pillows, who had 15 saves in the win. “I knew I had to stay positive and you have to come together with your team and it worked.”
When Pillows didn’t deny the Irish, Kayleigh Schwelker made a great defensive save with under two minutes left.
“Notre Dame, to its credit, were not going to give up until that last whistle,” said Moorestown Friends coach Danielle Dayton. “I really respect that about a program. They were fighting hard.”
The Irish, who had not played in nine days, opened the scoring at the 14:59 mark of the first half when Maggie Blundi took a ball up the left side of the cage and unleased one that found the right corner.
“This season was a lot of fun and we’ve improved so much,” said Blundi. “I thought one of the shots at the end was going in, but their goalie came up big.”
Friends tied it as 6:17 of the first half when Amanda Cooper gave a perfect pass to Jackie Barr for the goal. Just 52 seconds later they took the lead when Erin Fennell assisted on a goal by Cooper.