New Jersey edge past Pennsylvania, 3-2 at 2011 Women’s National Championship: Hockey News
Kathleen Sharkey lit the lamp twice including the game-winner, as New Jersey edged past Pennsylvania by a single goal, 3-2 on the third day of the 2011 Women National Championship. The cliff-hanging contest was held at the American University in Washington
DC, on May 23.
The play was resumed after a one-day rest that increased the players’ spirit and made the fight more tough and entertaining. New Jersey moved upwards after winning the competition.
The two teams were equal in the game. However, both faced tough times to open the scoring in the first half of play. Both sides opened the game quite professionally and displayed impressive defence in the field. The opening period was filled with a lot of
attacks and counter-attacks, but to no avail. All the efforts made by the strikers were denied from the either side. It seemed that no team would have to touch the score-board in the opening period.
However, the efforts from the New Jersey players proved fruitful and they succeeded to establish their dominance in the field. With thirty seconds remaining in the first half, Michelle Cesan unleashed a powerful shot that comfortably passed through the goal-keepers
pads. The Pennsylvania goalie could not find any chance to block the strike and New Jersey led by a single goal, 1-0 at the half-time.
The pace of the game increased in the second half, as one team wanted to hold the lead while other wanted to equal the score. The two teams continued their strikes and once again New Jersey managed to strike another goal through the field efforts. Kathleen
Sharkey tapped the shot that was struck by Rachel Dawson. With the second goal, the New Jersey’s lead increased by 2-0.
After conceding two goals, the Pennsylvania players started more offensive style of play in order to make a comeback into the game. In the remaining time period, the Pennsylvania's strikers cranked up their offence and had it all even at two-all. They received
a couple of shot corners within minutes and made the game more interesting.
In the last minutes, Shannon Taylor managed to get into the defensive circle of New Jersey, but her hit went wide. She failed to capitalise the pass received from Kayla Bashore-Smedley. In a counter-strike, the unsettled New Jersey side started more aggressive
style of play in search of go-ahead goal.
Sharkey, in the final moments of the second half, received a ball from Katie Evans and tapped it into the net. As the horn sounded, New Jersey rode away the field by a solitary goal margin and moved into the next round of the 2011 National Women Championship.
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