Field hockey: Streaks rally in OT for 7th straight title

CHESTER TWP. -- Survive and advance. That's what it's about come tournament time.

Warren Hills' field hockey team weathered a late charge by West Morris that forced overtime, before sophomore forward Simryn Desai's team-leading 16th goal off a breakaway lifted the Blue Streaks to a 3-2 win and their seventh straight sectional title on Thursday afternoon in the North 1, Group 3 final.

Warren Hills celebrates the program's 16th sectional title.

"This feels amazing," said Desai, who got loose down the left sideline and beat West Morris goalie Victoria Bodnar at the post for the game-winner just 1:19 into OT. "We knew we could win it. We just had to finish. We won as a team."

Warren Hills (18-5-1), which has won four in a row and 11 of its last 12 games, will face Millburn (13-6-2) -- a 3-2 winner over Middletown South in the North 2 final -- at 4 p.m. on Tuesday in the Group 3 semifinals at West Essex High School. Moorestown (20-1-1) will meet Ocean City (19-3-1) in the other semifinal. The Group 3 final will be played on Saturday, Nov. 10 at Bordentown Regional High School.

"I looked at the girls at halftime and I said, 'I don't care about championships. Do you want your season to continue so there will be a tomorrow? You need to play another hard 30 minutes,' said second-year coach Josie Potter, now 6-0 in sectional playoff games and 4-2-1 in OT contests this season. "We have to keep that mentality now.

"We've been very fortunate with overtime play. We've been able to get an offensive push going very early, and that definitely helped our cause."

Junior Kate Fenner certainly had that focus in overtime. The talented back, who shifted to the center midfield spot halfway through the season, started the winning drive by matching the ball down the left sideline. From about the 20-yard line, Fenner sent a pass toward the left post and the speedy Desai seemingly came out of nowhere to receive it. In full stride toward toward the cage, Desai converted the biggest goal of her career as the Streaks connected for goals on their only three shots of the game.

"We've been working on crosses all year," Desai said. "The goalie fell and I just kept my momentum going."

Fenner wasn't sure anyone would be able to get to the ball, but she knew the Streaks needed to make an offensive push in the seven-a-side session.

"It was wide open [on the left side]," Fenner said. "I saw Simryn run in from behind. I was going to carry it, but I saw it was so open and we work on not carrying the ball too much. I just sent it to the post and it really paid off."

Warren Hills is now 16-4 all-time in sectional title games.

West Morris (15-4-2), which suffered its third straight finals loss by one goal to Warren Hills, entered overtime with momentum on its side. Junior midfielder Alex Belen scored the tying goal with a rocket shot from the top of the circle into the center of the cage on a penalty corner with no time on the clock in regulation. The corner was one of four straight awarded to the Wolfpack, who return eight starters next season, in the final three minutes of the second half as the Streaks were a player down after receiving a yellow card for a push in the circle with 4:37 to go.

It's also the most goals allowed by the Streaks' stingy defense in nearly a month -- a 4-2 loss against Voorhees at home on Oct. 2. The unit had yielded just four in the previous 11 games, including seven shutouts.

Warren Hills, now 16-4 overall in sectional finals after going OT in a title game for the first time since 2009, seemed to be in good shape when sophomore Jenna Wyckoff scored earlier in the second half to make it 2-1. Wyckoff picked up the ball on the left side and dribbled right through the defense before knocking it home at the left post.

"I was happy that [sophomore Olivia Chomut] sent it in to me, it was a perfect ball," said Wyckoff, who scored the decisive goal -- a beautiful reverse stick shot near the left post -- in overtime against rival Hackettstown in a 2-1 win on Sept. 29.

Yaaasss!!! We play for a tomorrow!! 🏑💙 #WHRHSPride pic.twitter.com/JhdjmdXsYY

— WH Field Hockey (@hockey_wh) November 1, 2018

Junior Samantha Dugan opened the scoring with her third goal of the postseason to give Warren Hills its first lead with 10:17 left in the first half. Sophomore Sarah Korczukowski set up the drive by sending the ball toward the right post on the Streaks' first penalty corner. Dugan redirected it into the cage for her 12th goal of the season and 37th of her career.

West Morris answered just 1:19 later as sophomore Sophia Prata connected off a corner.

The only downer for Warren Hills was the loss of another starter due to injury. Already without star sophomore Ashley Moskal (ACL injury), the Streaks' backfield took another hit as sophomore Liz Schlaffer was sidelined after sustaining a left knee injury in Tuesday's 1-0 win in the semifinals over Northern Highlands.

"We've been fortunate ... as the hits keep on coming, we seem to find a way to rebound and put together a great game," Potter said.

Warren Hills (18-5-1)                   1                1               1     --    3
West Morris (15-4-2)                   1                1               0     --    2

Scoring

First half -- WH, Samantha Dugan, 12th, (Sarah Korczukowski), 10:17; WM, Sophia Prata, 12th, (Caroline Compoli), 8:58.

Second half -- WH, Jenna Wyckoff, 5th, 19:34; WM, Alex Belen, 1st, 2:06.

Overtime -- WH, Simryn Desai, 16th, 8:41.

Shots -- Warren Hills 3; West Morris 9.

Saves -- Julia Webber 6, Dugan 1 (defensive) (WH); Victoria Bodnar 0.

Penalty corners -- Warren Hills 3; West Morris 13.