WHITEHALL — Lake-Lehman got the ball past goalie Caitlin Drobek on a penalty corner play with a minute left, looking to tie the state Class A field hockey semifinal.
But Oley Valley still had one last way to protect the lead.
Junior midfielder Becca Hefner, assigned to protect the back post, calmly played the ball inches from the goal line, clearing it out to wipe away the last scoring chance and carry the Lynx into the PIAA Class A championship game with a 2-1 victory at Whitehall High School’s Zephyr Sports Complex.
“We certainly had our opportunities at the end,” Lake-Lehman coach Jean Lipski said. “I still don’t know how that ball didn’t go in on that give-and-go.
“That was perfectly set up.”
Oley Valley coach Tiffany Cappelano said it was no coincidence that Hefner was the one there to make the play and keep the state semifinal battle of unbeatens from going to overtime.
“She’s got an excellent stick and very good body positioning,” Cappelano said. “That’s why she’s our post.
“She’s the girl you want on the end line when the goalkeeper’s out. She did an excellent job today.
“It was a huge save.”
It was a save that sent the District 3 champions into the state final, back at Whitehall Saturday against Moravian Academy.
Lake-Lehman came up with three of its eight corners in the final 3:32.
The Black Knights had been outshot, 5-3, at the point when Oley Valley went ahead midway through the second half.
Lake-Lehman had a 3-1 shot advantage in the final 13 minutes, including two attempts off the late flurry of corners.
Inserter Makayla Adams started the final chance by sending the ball to Taylor Alba high in the left circle. Alba sent the ball back-and-forth across the circle in a give-and-go with Sarah Sabaluski.
The result was an Alba shot that Drobek could not handle.
As the ball bounced toward the goal, Hefner was the one who could.
“We didn’t pursue it as hard as we should have,” Lipski said.
Oley Valley had 14 penalty corners, including seven in the first 13:25 of the second half to finally break a halftime tie.
Hannah Beers was at the left post to knock in a pass from Samantha Buzalewski, who had scored the first-half goal for the Lynx.
Cappelano said she had not yet been able to solve how to counter Lake-Lehman’s ability to mix up its corner defenses. One of her players, Sydney Gillingham, called the winning play.
“They executed it very well,” Lipski said.
The teams gained each other’s respect in a tightly played game that was tied, 1-1, at halftime.
“Oley Valley’s very good,” Lipski said. “They’req quick with great stick work.”
Lake-Lehman was able to score on its only shot of the first half.
Izzy Radel made sure it was a good one, receiving a pass in the middle of the circle and tipping it ahead to Carey-Anne Keiper, who was behind the defense and all alone at the left post.
“They were undefeated for a reason,” Cappelano said. “They definitely gave us a good game. It’s be the best game we’ve had all season from a competition standpoint.
“It was nice to see our girls stand up to the challenge.”
Lake-Lehman, which won the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 and District 2 Class A titles, finished 18-1-1.
PIAA CLASS A
FIELD HOCKEY SEMIFINALS
Oley Valley`1`1`—`2
Lake-Lehman`1`0—`1
First half — 1. LL, Carey-Anne Keiper (Izzy Radel), 12:53; 2. OV, Samantha Buzalewski. 5:23. Second half — 3. OV, Hannah Beers (Buzalewski). 16:35.
Shots — OV 6, LL 6. Saves — OV 2 (Caitlin Drobek), LL 4 (Alicia Galasso). Penalty corners — OV 14, LL 8.
