Since she took over at Good Counsel three years ago, Kelly Stodter has specialized in finding strong athletes and turning them into field hockey players.
Monday afternoon in Olney, one of Stodter’s finds played a big role as sophomore Shannon Lechner scored in overtime to give the Falcons a 2-1 victory over defending Maryland 4A public school champion Quince Orchard.
As a first-year field hockey player last fall, Lechner didn’t score a goal. This year, she leads the team with 15.
“I’m a lacrosse player. That’s really my sport,” said Lechner. “I didn’t play much [for the field hockey team] last year. But working hard and playing with these girls has made me a lot better.”
Lechner’s goal came on a penalty corner. QO goalie Katie Giles came far off the goal line to deflect a shot by junior Mary Swarthout. But when the ball squirted between Giles and the goal, Swarthout scrambled for it and poked a pass to Lechner who scored into an open cage, 3 minutes, 47 seconds into 7-on-7 overtime.
It was an ironic result considering QO (10-3) had won the possession battle, generating 17 corners to four for Good Counsel (10-3).
“We just don’t have that extra umph,” said QO coach Jenna Reis. “It’s a killer instinct thing. We just don’t have it. It’s October and we’re not getting better while other people have progressed.”
GC took a 1-0 lead in the first half as junior Monica Baumgartner fed senior Lauren Wilson. QO squared it 14 minutes later as junior Alissa Peterson converted a cross from junior Alex Ready.
In the second half, GC got strong work from goalie Christina Sheridan (five saves) and defenders Casey Garner, Rachel Forman and Mary Kuzma.
“We’re not really field hockey players. We have great athletes,” said Stodter, who co-coaches with Kristin Ramsay. “We start with fundamentals on Aug. 15 and as time goes by, we become a good field hockey team.”
QO NOTES
» QO senior Natalie Ellenberger, who has torn her ACL twice in the last 11 months, was in uniform, but did not play. The earliest she could return is Nov. 1, pending doctor’s approval. Last week, Ellenberger committed to play for American University.
» When QO plays No. 4 B-CC on Thursday, the Cougars will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak in 10 years under coach Jenna Reis.
