Carroll’s field hockey team defeats Hershey in OT and moves to state quarterfinals

Archbishop Carroll’s field hockey team captured a 3-2 victory in the first round of states over Hershey on Tuesday, putting them in the quarterfinals on Saturday. The game was decided after two overtimes and 1v1 play.

Hershey led 1-0 in the first quarter after Grace Allery scored a goal at about the six-minute mark. 

Carroll knotted the score in the second quarter on a goal by junior Courtland Schumacher. 

“It felt so great to score that goal,” said Schumacher. “We were down by one, and we needed something to motivate us to get our energy back up to keep us in the game. Now the game was tied, and we had to keep pushing.”

Carroll took over the lead in the third quarter on a goal scored by junior Megan Sheridan. The third quarter has been Carroll’s weak spot throughout the season based on goals scored against them in that quarter, but not on Tuesday.  

Hershey fought back in the fourth to tie it back up with a goal by Cara Cronin around the ten-minute mark.

Ending regulation time, the score was tied 2-2.

Archbishop Carroll and Hersey would now go into overtime. Overtime is a 7v7 game, ten minutes long, sudden death, first to score wins. 

Carroll’s 7v7 team consisted of Sherdian, Schumacher, sophomore Sienna Golden, Junior Cate McConaghy, Senior Grace O’Neill, and Sophomore Beth Wineburg, and Sophomore Reilly Mcmenamin in goal. 

Both teams were constantly hustling back and forth up and down the field. The play was fast-paced. Each team had multiple opportunities to score, but nothing was hitting the back of the net. Sheridan sprinted more than 50 yards down the field to run down a ball bombed up the field by O’Neill. She was inches away from stopping the ball before it crossed the end line.

“The ball was so far ahead of me,” said Sheridan. “I knew I had to get to the ball or at least make a run for it, hoping it wouldn’t cross the end line by the time I got to it. I wanted Grace to keep sending those balls down the sideline and not get discouraged because they were great balls, just no one was there to receive them. I was so tired, I couldn’t even feel my legs, but I just kept running.”

Although Carroll was down a player for two minutes, as a result of a yellow card, they didn’t back down.

When the buzzer went off, the score remained 2-2 after the first overtime. The second overtime began. 

Both teams also put up a fight in the second overtime, but there was still no change in score.  

The second overtime ended, the score was still tied. Carroll and Hershey both selected five players that would go 1v1 with the goalie. Carroll selected O’Neill, Golden, McConaghy, Wineburg, and Schumacher. They would go in that order alternating with Hershey each shot. 

Carroll made their first two 1v1’s, scored by O’Neill and Golden. Hershey missed their first shot but made their second shot. Carroll 2, Hershey 1. Carroll and Hershey both missed their third shot. Up fourth for Carroll was Wineburg. She scored. Carroll 3, Hershey 1. If Carrolls goalie Reilly Mcmenamin saved Hershey’s fourth shot, Carroll would win; she saved it. 

“We did it,” said coach Christina Elisio.