Martlets Defeat Bearcats in OT

Westminster took on the Bearcats of Hotchkiss on Hovey Field on a picture-perfect fall afternoon. The Martlets had their best start yet of the season, coming out hard at the opening whistle and setting the pace, something they have struggled with the past few games. Westminster opened the scoring in the first quarter off of the stick of Olivia Gordon ’24 on a penalty corner. Hadley Crowther ’25 inserted a ball to Lily Vincent ’25, who slipped the ball to Allysen Whitehead ’25. Whitehead sent a hard shot to net and Gordon redirected it into the back of the cage. Westminster continued to hold good possession in the first quarter, but Hotchkiss challenged the ball hard all over the field, forcing the Martlets to be creative and quick with their plays. The Bearcats had an immediate answer for Westminster in the second quarter, as they tied the game within the first minute. Westminster did not deflate, and fought hard for every ball in the midfield to see if they could turn it into a counter attack, holding solid possession for most of the quarter. After regrouping at halftime and recommitting to giving 100% effort at every moment, Westminster returned to the field ready to keep battling the talented and determined Bearcats. The third quarter saw more back and forth action in the midfield, with Hotchkiss holding the edge in possession this time. However, the Martlet defense stood tall in their best outing of the season and answered every call the Bearcats had for them. Talia Ondy ’25 made an outstanding play on the day when Hotchkiss began to pressure hard in the defensive 25. As an offside player, she sprinted to cover the back post and just as Hotchkiss looked like they had the perfect opportunity to take the lead, Ondy interrupted the backdoor play and cleared the ball from the defensive circle and kept the score knotted at 1-1.  She was one of many Martlet players who did not quit on any play and did whatever it took to keep the Bearcats from adding to the scoreboard. Heading into the last frame, Westminster knew it needed to take advantage of every opportunity. Defensively Westminster continued to hold strong on every play in the circle and they defended each penalty corner with poise and confidence. Margee Mahoney ’25 played her best game of the season, showcasing patient yet determined defense in order to limit Hotchkiss’ chances to cage, especially in the waning minutes of the game. Cassie Goundrey ’24 played outstanding in net, making key saves in the second half in order to keep the Martlets in the game. In overtime, both teams gained possession in the attacking circles in the opening two minutes, but it was the Martlets who were able to earn a penalty corner and capitalize. Crowther again inserted a ball to Vincent who did a quick give and go with Whitehead and sent a shot straight to the back of the net to give the Martlets the 2-1 and send the team erupting towards one another. It was an outstanding effort by both teams in an incredible back-and-forth Founders’ League game this afternoon, and the winning result for the Martlets was just the added bonus to an inspiring performance by each member of the team. Sophia Peterson ‘24 passed the Player of the Game Hat to both Vincent and Mahoney for their game-changing performances. Westminster will look to get better the next few days at practice before returning to Hovey Field for another home contest this weekend against Williston Northampton.