STATE COLLEGE — The State College High School field hockey team crept closer to the District 3 playoffs with two victories last week.
On Thursday, Oct. 9 the Little Lions got a second-half goal from sophomore Reagan Dare and the SC defense took care of the rest in a tense, 1-0 victory at home against Cedar Cliff High School.
Dare’s second-half goal was the only score of the night in the Mid-Penn Commonwealth match against Cedar Cliff. Bierly led the defense to its fifth shutout win of the season and to the team’s fifth conference win.
Then on Monday night amidst the rain and drizzle in Hazleton, the team saw four different players score goals and six record assists in a 6-1 victory over non-conference Hazleton.
Dare scored twice in the first quarter against the Lady Cougars off assists by Delaney Shaha. Freshman Brynn Pezalski made it 3-0 at halftime with a goal on an assist by Sofie Skillings. Pezalski scored just two minutes into the period.
State College kept going after halftime.
Early in the third period, senior forward Heidi Egerer scored her first of two goals of the game, both assisted by junior Sadie Kocher. This was followed by a goal by junior Ella Gourley at the eight-minute mark to make the score 5-0 entering the final period.
Egerer’s second goal came on an assist by Annie Starinchak at the beginning of the fourth quarter and cemented SC’s seventh victory of the season.
Hazleton’s Alanna Filler scored a goal late to set the final score at 6-1.
Goalkeeper Cora Bierly, leading another solid effort by the Lion defense, saved eight shots on goal and now has 122 for the season.
The two wins set up a dramatic showdown at 9-3 Cumberland Valley with a D3 Playoff spot on the line.
State College is presently at No. 15 in the D3, AAA Field Hockey rankings, just behind South Western and Hempfield.
Since 14 teams qualify for the tournament, a victory at No. 5 CV is likely necessary for the team to make the tournament.
The tournament will begin with first round matches on Oct. 22.
