How 'Bout Them Apples/Varsity Girls Hockey Overcomes Big Red of Lawrenceville

I remember writing in the blog last winter how the Portledge v. Lawrenceville Varsity Girls Hockey game was one of the best secondary school sports events I had ever been a part of. The 9-8 overtime classic, which is seen as a historic win for the Portledge Girls Hockey Program, had at its core a tremendous individual performance. Current Portledge Senior Siena Falino, a Junior at that time, scored seven of the Lady Panthers nine goals, and assisted on another. Her will to achieve victory, and the overall confidence she displayed in that game is unmatched by the anything I have seen at the rink in my twenty years of coaching. Much of the moxie displayed by the captain on that night last January, has rubbed off on the rest of the girls who have returned from last year's team. For the second time this season they entered the third period of a Division I Varsity Girls Hockey game tied with their opponents, and both times they have prevailed by playing a defensively sound and offensively aggressive last fifteen minutes. The latter of these games took place last night when the Lady Panthers visited The Big Red of Lawrenceville for this season's version of what is becoming an excellent Girls Hockey rivalry.

How Did the Game Unfold?

The Lawrenceville girls were ready for Portledge's #7 this time. From the first time she touched the puck it was easy to see that stopping Falino was the focus of the Big Red gameplan. Two, and sometimes three skaters were immediately on the scene when the puck came around the Portledge captain. Still, about seven minutes in, Falino found a little space down the right wing and sent a wrister towards the Lawrenceville net. The shot was deflected by a defenseman and a bit misplayed by the keeperbefore it settled in the net to give the Portledge girls a 1-0 lead. It was an extremely tight checking game throughout as the Lady Panthers, sensing that this was not going to be a fifteen goal affair, consistently smothered the Lawrenceville attack right at the defensive blue line. When the Big Red attack did penetrate the Portledge zone, their shots on goal found a very sharp Olivia Rivera in the Lady Panthers net. Two or three big saves kept Portledge in the lead until L'Ville finally evened the game towards the end of the second period. The stage was set for a great finish and a real calm settled over the Portledge team as Coach Schwam asked them, "can we do this"? The answer came in the form of a uniform and determined head bob by all the Portledge girls...and so it came to be. The play was gradually pushed into the L'Ville end for longer periods of time and eventually Falino came free at the left circle. Instead of shooting though, the crafty Senior sent a beautiful cross ice pass to a wide open Ashley Wade, who was unmarked and standing by the far post. The spunky Sophomore banged the puck into the unguarded side of the net and Portledge had its eventual one goal margin in the form of a 2-1 score. The final few minutes provided the Portledge girls another opportunity to display their developing experience under pressure. They handled the all out effort of the L'Ville girls to tie the score, with a real sense of calm and confidence. To me, it appears they all learned something that cold January night one year ago. The Lady Panther's have another tough one coming up when they travel up to Millbrook School to take on the Lady Mustangs in a 5:30 face off on Friday night.