EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville's field hockey team has had a good number of seniors who have provided leadership for the team over the years.
One of those seniors came up big just when the Tigers needed someone in the dying moments of their match against Ladue Saturday afternoon at Tiger Stadium.
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Veronica Carrow scored with 25.6 seconds left in regulation time to force sudden-death overtime in the Tigers' match against the Rams, then went on to win after junior goalkeeper Sarah Blume herself came up big when the match went into a shootout and freshman Mattie Norton scored what proved to be the winning goal to give EHS a 2-1 win over the Rams; Edwardsville won the shootout by that 2-1 count.
“Just like last week, when we had to (go to a shootout against Kirkwood in the third-place match of the Public School Tournament). I tried to stay focused, watch the ball,” Blume said. “They were coming at a weird angle, but I knew I would stop that ball.
“We were very excited about (Senior Day). When we were losing and there were a couple of minutes left, I was like, 'I'm ready to go (to the shootout); I'm ready to do this.' “
On the stop that of Kathryne King that gave the Tigers the win, Blume said “I think she was pulling to the left” and got in front of the shot that preserved the win after Malone's goal put the Tigers in front.
“It was a very exciting comeback for us,” said Tiger coach Julia Tyler. “This is the third shootout we've been in this year so far; we practice them frequently so the girls know what to do, but it comes down to the mental aspect of can the compose themselves to be able to get it off.
“There's a ton of pressure; I had watched the first two goals and how the goalie (Divina Lettau) was moving, so I spoke with Mattie before she went out there and with Annie Mulford (who got the Tigers' first shootout goal) and they both did a very good job of placing that ball.
“The goalie was moving a little more than we had seen in the past, so they had to modify their (shootout) tactic a little bit differently, but they did a very good job.”
When it comes to a shootout, Tyler believes it's about the skills. “It's all about skill,” Tyler said. “It comes down to the skill and how well you can compose yourself in a stressful situation; Sarah Blume did a great job today saving three (shots). We had talked numerous times before today about how to hold herself; she did a good job staying on her toes and moving side-to-side and not overcommiting to a ball.
“She has to know where her posts are so she knows her out-of-bounds; she practices her stretch so she knows where everything is at.”
The Rams had taken a lead with 7:48 left in the first half when Fiona Vetter, on a goal-mouth scramble after a short corner, gathered in a rebound from a Neely Lochmoeller shot off Blume and tucked it past Blume. Undaunted, the Tigers kept pressing and got several good chances on Lettau but couldn't put the tying goal away.
Edwardsville got a short-corner restart in the final minute and Carrow put the ball in play; the Tigers had a couple of chances but the ball stayed out until it came to Carrow, who put it away on the left side to send the game to overtime, a 10-minute, six-on-six period. Neither team could score in OT and the game went into a shootout, where the ball is places near the top of the shooting arc and, much like an NHL shootout a field player goes one-on-one with the goaltender and attempts to score.
Lettau turned away Allie Hosto and Ansley Dorsey on their attempts, while Blume stopped the Rams after a goal from Emily Ingram on their first attempt. Mulford then stepped up and scored on Lettau while Blume kept Ellie Richmond from scoring.
Norton then stepped up and scored to give the Tigers the lead before Blume stopped King to give EHS the win.
Edwardsville took their record to 12-8-1 while the Rams fell to 13-6-1; both teams head into the end-of-season Midwest Tournament this week, with the Tigers getting the No. 9 seed, with the Tigers taking on the first-round winner between University City and Westminster Christian at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Whitfield; a win would send them into the third round against eighth-seeded Whitfield at 4 p.m. Oct. 22 at Tiger Stadium. The semifinals and final are set for Oct. 27-29 at Sportport in Maryland Heights, Mo.
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