Source: OUA Communication
WATERLOO, Ont. - The Waterloo Warriors punched their ticket to
the OUA semifinals with a dramatic 3-2 shootout win over the York
Lions in the opening match of the OUA field hockey championship at
Warrior Field.
Jessana Wartman (Cambridge, Ont.) scored the shootout winner in the
fourth round of sudden death shots to conclude a thrilling sequence
of penalty shots.
The game opened with both teams jockeying for position with
Waterloo earning the first quality chance at the 15th minute mark
as OUA all-star Courtney Bisch (Wellesley, Ont.) fired one on York
keeper Shannon Vance (Goderich, Ont.) who was equal to the
task.
The Lions got their first opportunity at goal in the 28th minute as
Anna Easty (Toronto) had a point blank chance off of a short corner
but the opportunity was put aside by Waterloo keeper Hillary Neeb
(Wellesley, Ont.).
With no score heading into the second half, the intensity would
pick up and Waterloo would find the opening goal as Bisch fired one
past Vance at the 39th minute. Only two minutes later, Bisch
would again find the back of the net this time on a penalty stroke
to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.
The feisty Lions would cut into the Warriors lead in the 52nd
minute thanks to a strike by Adriana Fernandes (Mississauga, Ont.)
past Neeb.
With time winding down it appeared as if the Warriors were going to
fend off the Lions attack but the visiting side had other
ideas. After being awarded a short corner for the final play
of the game the Lions took full advantage on a perfect pass by
Tracy Broome (Waterloo, Ont.) to Easty who put the ball home to
send the game to a shootout for the ages.
After a quick deliberation, both teams were ready for the shootout
with the Warriors up first. Stephanie Snyder (Waterloo, Ont.)
showed off her trickery bouncing the ball on her stick all the way
up field and lobbing it over Vance to give Waterloo the 1-0
lead.
The Lions responded on the next shot as Fernandes showed patience
to outwait Neeb and fire it home. After Bisch would miss the
next shot for Waterloo the Lions took a 2-1 lead on a goal by
Easty, similar to that of Ferandes’.
Waterloo would miss their next two shots meaning a York goal would
clinch the victory but Neeb stood tall to make her second straight
save, turning aside the chance by Simone Saxby (Scarborough,
Ont.).
Down to their last shooter, Melissa Lewis would step up and equal
the score at 2-2 on a nice outside move. Neeb would make one
more monumental stop on Jessica Lamont (Toronto) to send it to
sudden-death shots.
In sudden-death, the order reversed with York shooting first and
Fernandes would put the pressure back on the Warriors scoring her
second of the shootout. Snyder with ice in her veins again
pulled her trick move to continue the shootout and game. York
would score their next two shots (Easty, Broome) while Waterloo
would respond (Lewis, Bisch).
In the fourth round of sudden-death, Neeb would again turn aside
Saxby setting up Wartman for the game winning goal. Wartman
made no mistake sliding the ball just inside the post to send the
Warriors to the OUA semifinals.
The Warriors will battle the Toronto Varsity Blues tomorrow at 12pm
while York will play Saint Mary's in the fight for fifth place.
|