Lowry’s overtime goal rewards Radnor’s determination

RADNOR >> Katie Maguire coaches field hockey and lacrosse at Radnor High.

She also is a big football fan — when it comes to motivational speeches.

“We were doing a group text about positive attitudes,” Maguire, the Raiders’ first-year head field hockey coach, said after her team’s 3-2 District 1 Class 2A playoff overtime victory over Harriton Wednesday afternoon.

“What I sent them was from a Michigan-Michigan State football game. The message was ‘Never give up; never give in.’”

The eighth-seeded Raiders (11-8), who trailed at halftime, 2-1, didn’t back away from the challenge posed by the Rams (10-8). Freshman Barbara Civitella scored in the fourth minute of the second half for the Raiders, and sophomore Page Lowry, assisted by senior Emma Majercak, finished the scoring in the fifth minute of overtime.

“We had a close game with (Harriton) the first time we played them this season,” Maguire said. “But we didn’t talk much about that game. Everything was about keeping things positive for this game, going into it with a positive attitude.”

Radnor will try to keep things positive for its quarterfinal matchup with top-seeded Villa Maria Friday. VM advanced with a 14-0 victory over Springfield.

“This was about (the players) doing what they wanted to do,” Maguire said. “Now we have a couple days before we have to get ready for what is coming next.”

Lowry, who scored an overtime game-winner against Archbishop Carroll in 2015, didn’t realize at first that she had put the finishing touches on Wednesday’s victory.

“I wound up on the ground and I thought I missed (the cage),” Lowry said. “Emma had dribbled in and I took the ball toward the sideline and shot it. When everybody started running over shouting, I figured it must have gone in.

“The video (Maguire) sent us was all about the last 10 seconds of a game. The scoreboard said 10 minutes when we won this game today.”

Majercak scored the first goal of the first half, but Harriton countered with goals from Katelin Williams and Greta Stahl. Sarah Marks, Nikki Handel, Molly McDonough and Meg Wilcox played well defensively for the Rams.

“For two years we didn’t win a playoff game,” Majercak said. “It’s great to finally get a playoff win.

“I was able to get the ball up the field, and when their defender came toward me, I passed it to Page and she did all the rest.”

Natalie Junior and Hope Smith helped the Raiders hold off the Harriton attack through a scoreless second half and overtime.

The Raiders will try to get some practice time in after classes Thursday despite a dreary weather forecast. Then it will be up to their coach to come up with another motivational text message fitting for a game against a team that was state champion two years ago and state runner-up last fall.