NCS playoff excitement… pouring rain… a trip to Piedmont where the Dons would face off against the Highlanders for round one of the Division II playoffs… Regardless of the outcome one could tell it would be night to remember. Appropriately, there was a well-timed break in the rain just in time for the starters to take center field and be announced before the playing of the National Anthem, then the match was on!
Both teams would make some nice runs on the rain-soaked pitch, controlling the ball well despite it skipping quickly along the slick turf. Piedmont challenged the Dons’ goal first, but Reese Tierney broke it up before the Highlanders could get a shot off. The Lady Dons would get their first shot from Averly Ammerman after receiving a pass from Stella Beuchotte, but the Piedmont goalie would make the save. Piedmont managed to turn the tide a bit and get repeated challenges. One quick-break run was broken up by a clean slide tackle from Cate McCormick, but then Piedmont got a couple corner kicks, the second one initially punched out by goalie Maria Statnikova, followed by a shot blocked by Tori Hiatt, but unfortunately a Highlander was in the right spot to put the ball right back in for a score; 0-1.
Then came the lightning. The referees stopped the game and all players had to clear the pitch, thankfully retreating to locker rooms provided by Piedmont. Parents cleared the bleachers and found shelter, patiently waiting to hear if the game would continue. After about three lighting bolts, a mandatory 30-minute delay would expire and the match continued.
The back-and-forth play picked up where the players had left off. Lily Polkinhorn fired off a shot that was blocked by a defender, Piedmont fired a shot that Statnikova saved off a quick skip, and Beuchotte, Hiatt, Ammerman, Tierney, and Grace Eppinger worked the ball well for some offensive challenges. Unfortunately, the Piedmont defense and goalie were very good at keeping the ball out of the net. On the other end Tatum Keely, Edie Berzansky, McCormick, and Hiatt kept the Dons goal box very well defended, but the Highlanders managed a perfect long ball that couldn’t be stopped and Piedmont found themselves up by two; 0-2.
The second half saw more equal play on the ball, but just like the first half, the Dons were constantly challenged by Piedmont’s very efficient positioning and passing. One sequence resulted in a wide open player in the middle of the attacking third that looked to be a for-sure goal, but Keely sprinted seemingly out of nowhere to break it up and clear the ball. Piedmont would counter with another attack and get off a shot that goalie Brooke Lewis saved. Through continued ball movement, the Highlanders would manage a third goal; 0-3.
The Dons kept up the pressure and showed true grit right up to the final whistle, getting a number of close shots. Tierney had a shot that was just high and right, McCormick would fight to win the ball and go on a run for a pass to Samantha Murdin for a shot just wide left, Hiatt had a long shot that looked like it might bounce over the goalie but was ultimately caught, Casey Lerch had two shots that were just over the crossbar, and both McCormick and Murdin had some crosses that were just out of the reach of Danica Green and Eppinger running in.
The Dons ran out of time for a comeback, but as they did all season long showed grit and class as representatives of Acalanes. This was a special team and a special final season for the eleven graduating seniors – Good luck and thank you to Cassidy Smith, Cate McCormick, Samantha Murdin, Molly Aldrich, Elodie Jensen, Kate Uffelman, Danica Green, Tori Hiatt, Lily Polkinhorn, Edie Berzansky, and Tatum Keely!
