The Northwestern and Southern Lehigh field hockey teams have been going back and forth for the Colonial League championship for the last six years.
The last team other than either Northwestern or Southern Lehigh to win the league title was Bangor in 2018.
This year’s championship game between the two teams was exactly the battle that most people expected it to be. The two teams grabbed control of the play from each other throughout the game with an extra period being needed to decide the winner.
Just four minutes into the overtime period, Northwestern Lehigh got the game-winning goal for a 2-1 victory.
Taylor Langley scored the game-winner with an assist from Hannah Gober.
“I told Hannah, ‘right here, right now,’” said Langley. “When she got the ball, she was able to get it off to me and I was able to get the tip in.”
Northwestern always looks to land the first blow.
It looked like the Tigers would do just that when Evelyn Alboucq had a one-on-one with goalie Corinne Houck. Houck came towards Alboucq to challenge her and went into a slide to stop Alboucq’s shot from getting past her to turn away the freshman attacker.
The rest of the first quarter remained scoreless, but Northwestern controlled most of the play. The second quarter was a different story as Southern Lehigh came out as the aggressor.
The Tigers regained control and with 7:33 left in the quarter, Makayla Bressi put a ball into the cage for a 1-0 lead.
In the third quarter the Spartans again put pressure on Tiger goalie Ryan Smolinsky.
With 5:55 left in the third quarter, Delaney Mack took a pass on the left side of the goal and put a shot past Smolinsky to tie the game. Southern Lehigh continued its pressure in pursuit of a second goal, but Smolinsky stood tall and was able to keep the score tied.
“Ryan was a big wall back there today,” said Tiger head coach Lissa Opolsky. “She was working her butt off to communicate and organize and do all the things that you don’t see on the stat sheet and that went a really long way.”
The Tigers defense played well and kept the game tied through the rest of the third and through all of the fourth quarter.
“I love my backs,” said senior Haley Kerschner. “I love Melanie Schmidt. I love Ryan Smolinsky. They’re like my peanut butter and jelly in the morning. They’re my group and I love working together with them and playing with them. I wouldn’t want to be working with any other backs or any other goalie in the world.”
As a league champion, Northwestern retained the top spot in the 1A classification for the District 11 playoffs and has a bye into the semifinal round on October 27.
“I think we can absolutely get gold in districts to go with this one, too,” said Langley. “We’re playing really well and playing together and that’s what it’s going to take for us to win.”