By Keith Harrington
It at first you don't succeed. We alll have used the moniker hundreds of time. It could be the theme for the Salem-Cambridge field hockey team when it comes to facing Granville. After falling to the Golden Horde in overtime in last year's sectionals and a shootout earlier this year, Salem-Cambridge finally got it done.
Kady Crosier scored with 52 seconds remaining in the second extra session to hand Salem-Cambridge a 2-1 win in Wasaren-Adirondack League play.
The last time Salem-Cambridge defeated Granville was October of 2019, a 3-2 win, fittingly in OT. The Golden Horde had beaten them eight straight times since.
It was Senior Night for Granville, but Salem-Cambridge didn't waste any time jumping in front. Lexi Cary converted a pass from MaryKate McPhee at the 6:12 mark of the opening period to give her squad a 1-0 lead.
Granville got even when Claire Gould scored an unassisted goal with 2:50 left in the half to make it 1-1.
Neither team could hit the back of the cage during the remainder of regulation time forcing yet another overtime between the two rivals.
Granville dominated the first overtime but couldn't cash in on multiple opportunities. Gould had a couple of good looks, one that was stopped by Salem-Cambridge goalie Brailyn Wright and another that hit the crossbar. The latter sent the Golden Horde bench into celebration thinking they had won it after hearing the clink.
Raegan Swain squeezed off a rocket that seemed destined for the back of the cage with just over five minutes to play in the stanza, but again Wright came up huge. The Golden Horde used textbook passing from Natalie, Williams to Swain to Gould to produce another stellar chance, but Wright again denied them.
Salem-Cambridge controlled possession in the second OT and it finally paid off. Claire Toleman pushed the ball up the right wing on a deep 2 on 1 run. Toleman fired a long diagnol pass across the field to Crosier who fired a shot past Granville goalkeeper Megan Decker to giver her team the long awaited win.
Salem-Cambridge held a 12-7 advantage in shots on goal and a 12-6 edge on penalty corners.
Both Wright and Decker put on a goalkeeping clinic, each coming up with clutch save after clutch save in the second half and overtime.
Wright had seven saves for Salem-Cambridge. Decker stopped nine shots for Granville.
Salem-Cambridge is 4-2, 4-3. Granville is now 5-2, 7-3.
*Side Note-Granville coach Katie Barber would like to thank everyne who pariticipated in the concession stand fundraiser at the game. The Golden Horde program raised $1,000 for the Woodell family who recently suffered a tragic loss. DJ Ray Monroe donated his his fee for the night to the consession stand.*
Photo Credit-Stacie Arnhold
