Is there anything better than a postseason overtime sudden death Dons win? No! On Tuesday evening, the Dons took on Head-Royce in the first round of NCS. The first half went back and forth with the Dons and Jayhawks trading goals; the Dons and Jayhawks went into halftime tied 5-5. The second half was even tighter, with the end of regulation finding both teams tied again, this time 8-8. In sudden death overtime, Grace Imrie was fouled and converted her high pressure penalty shot with 1:07 left in the first overtime period, giving the Dons a 9-8 win.

The Dons’ game tonight was all about our defense. Avery Ives came up with key ground balls, giving the Dons possession when they desperately needed it. Goalkeeper Addie Martin had so many clutch saves throughout the game. Kelly Todhunter’s one vs. one defense slowed down and visibly frustrated Head-Royce’s best player. The Dons’ defense also featured great clears all night long. Scoring for the Dons were Imrie and Tea Smith with three, Megan Churchill with two and Maya Wang adding one. Churchill also had two assists, while Wang and Haley Rurka each had one. 

The 7-seed Dons will face 2-seed Marin Academy at San Rafael High School on Thursday at 7pm. This promises to be a tough matchup for the Dons, but our Dons will no doubt play with heart and grit, making their teammates, coaches, classmates and families so proud. Let’s go Dons!