Wilson Area High School’s Annalisse McAuliffe picked a great time for her first dive.
The sophomore goalie lunged to her proper to prevent a penalty stroke from Moravian Academy junior Megan Dadio in additional time and keep the Warriors’ unbeaten document.
“I tried to look at her eyes to see where the stroke was going to go,” McAuliffe stated. “She was going towards the corner. I’ve never dove in a game – ever. That was my first-ever dive. I went for it.”
The goalie’s dramatic save within the remaining moments of the additional duration ensured that Wilson and Moravian Academy tied 2-2 on Thursday of their Colonial League contest at Wilson Area Intermediate School.
The Warriors (14-0-1) just about received the sport mins previous when junior Zoey Ehlman were given free on a breakaway. Lions senior goalie Rosemary John made a couple of saves, and Dadio parried away any other shot to finish the risk.
Wilson had to conquer a 2-0 deficit to pressure additional time.
Dadio transformed a penalty stroke with 7:29 left within the first quarter to place Moravian Academy (12-1-1) forward. Senior Gia Gupta prolonged the Lions’ merit when she completed a close-range strive with 9:36 to move in the second one quarter.
The Warriors were given onto the scoreboard a minute and 40 seconds later. Senior Melissa Shunk fed sophomore Sophia Bandi, whose emerging shot discovered the purpose cage’s netting.
The Lions had been fewer than 4 mins clear of handing Wilson its first defeat of the season when the hosts rallied to pressure OT.
Bandi received ownership on Moravian’s part of the field. She allotted the ball to Shunk, who weaved in the course of the protection ahead of moving the ball to Ehlman, who scored with 3:12 ultimate in legislation.
Ehlman had not too long ago reentered the sport after getting a second to relaxation and refocus at the sideline.
“We asked her to perform and play the way she knows how to play, and she did,” Warriors trainer Scott Horton stated. “… She’s someone that we can count on in situations like that.”
Ultimately, the Warriors’ unbeaten run prevailed, although their successful streak ended.
“We just put so much effort into it,” McAuliffe stated. “We’ve been working so hard for this for weeks and weeks.”
Moravian, which fell to Wilson 2-0 on Sept. 14, just about exacted revenge for its most effective loss this season.
“I thought we played really well. I wish we could have held them in those last 4 minutes,” Lions trainer Wendy Sheetz stated. “I think, ultimately, we showed that we’re definitely up there. I think we could have won it.”
Moravian may’ve let the end result slip away completely if it hadn’t endured thru a chain of playing cards within the fourth quarter.
“We had some adversity with the three cards. They had no cards. I think it was a pretty physical game,” Sheetz stated. “I would like to see that be a little more fair. That might change the outcome of the game.”
Wilson’s present document and position on the most sensible of the Colonial League standings isn’t utterly surprising taking into consideration this system’s contemporary historical past, nevertheless it’s exceptional in the case of the place the workforce used to be a number of seasons in the past. The Warriors, who had been scuffling with low participation numbers, went just about 4 years (1,443 days) with no win previous to snapping that streak in 2016.
Wilson received 10 video games and certified for the league and district playoffs ultimate season.
“We play every game to win no matter what,” Horton stated. “My first season here when they went four years without winning, every single game that year, we played to win. We prepared to win. You have to. That’s why we won the games that we did the first year that I coached.
“… I’m happy with where they’re at, but it doesn’t really surprise me that much. I know that they work hard … That’s why we are where we are.”
All that good fortune drew a pleasing crowd to the intermediate faculty for the workforce’s senior evening.
“It’s one of the things I told the girls. I said, ‘Take a good look around you; you’re not playing by yourself. You have the support of the entire community, and it’s not just you on the field,’” Horton stated. “It’s something to be proud of. It’s something that they built. You don’t get crowds like this when you’re 0-15. They earned it; they built it. There’s a lot of buzz around the field hockey team this year.”
Both Sheetz and Horton agreed that Thursday’s contest would offer nice preparation for the Colonial League and District 11 Class A brackets, the place either side may well be on a collision path.
“It’s tough to play at 100 miles per hour like we’ve been playing at for such a long time. We’re winning these close games week in and week out,” Horton stated. “If there’s going to be a draw, of course we’ll take it now before the playoffs. Can we learn from that? Absolutely. Will we be a better team when we play these teams in the playoffs? I believe so … There’s no question we’ll be ready.”
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Kyle Craig could also be reached at kcraig@lehighvalleylive.com.