WHITEHALL – Oley Valley carried a lead into the final minutes of Tuesday’s state semifinal battle of field hockey unbeatens with Lake-Lehman.
The Lynx managed to escape the Zephyr Sports Complex with a 2-1 victory, but the Black Knights made them work to the end to protect that lead and the berth in Saturday’s state final.
“Our girls had a great run,” Lake-Lehman coach Jean Lipski said after her Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 and District 2 Class 2A champions suffered their only loss of the season. “I’m obviously sorry it had to end this way, but they played hard.
“We played right up until the last second.”
The loss brought an end to an impressive stretch for a senior class that accounted for six to seven starters throughout this season and made an impact in previous seasons as Lake-Lehman made three straight state tournament appearances.
“Some of them started since they were freshmen,” Lipski said. “They certainly worked hard for Lake-Lehman and did all that we asked them to do.
“They worked hard in the offseason and that’s what got them to this point.”
They extended Lake-Lehman’s season all the way to the state semifinals and had the team’s hopes high by holding the lead for 9 ½ minutes once they got there.
Senior Carey-Anne Keiper had her fourth hat trick of the season in an 8-0 rout of Lehighton Nov. 12 in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class A quarterfinals.
Keiper scored again, off a feed from Izzy Radel, in the state semifinal.
Oley Valley showed why it was unbeaten, earning 14 penalty corners against a defense that prides itself in giving up very few.
Still, Lake-Lehman allowed just one goal until nearly midway through the second half.
“Their corner defense was strong,” Oley Valley coach Tiffany Cappelano said. “They came out with a lot of energy.
“They came at us with a couple different defenses, too, so you can tell that they’re very well-coached. They executed their game plan defensively and sort of shut us down.”
Lake-Lehman, which did not score in the final 42:53, had some of its best scoring opportunities in the closing minutes of a tight defensive game.
The Black Knights had half of their eight penalty corners and six shots after Oley Valley took its 2-1 lead with 16:35 remaining. Three of the penalty corners came in the final 3:32, producing two shots, including one that led to the game’s biggest defensive play.
Two of the seniors, Louisville recruit Sarah Sabaluski and Temple recruit Taylor Alba teamed on a give-and-go off a corner play with just over a minute remaining.
Alba’s shot could not be handled by goalie Caitlin Drobek, but as it bounced near the goal line, Oley Valley junior midfielder Becca Hefner, who had been guarding the back post, got there in time to knock the ball away.
“I still don’t know how that ball didn’t go in on that give-and-go,” Lipski said. “That was perfectly set up.”
Radel scored twice in the state quarterfinal win while Alba, Sabaluski and Lilli Stepanski, another senior, also had goals.
Maranda Martin, another senior, was among those with assists.
Taylor Cercone joined the other seniors in the state playoff starting lineup.
Jamie Buzink, who started before being injured in the playoffs, and Katie Hutchins were the team’s other seniors.
“They certainly represented Lake-Lehman and District 2 very well,” Lipski said. “I’m proud of all the work they did and I can’t wait to get back for next year.”
