Leclaire sends Owen J. Roberts to district quarters with OT win over Spring-Ford
BUCKTOWN >> Olivia Leclaire said the Owen J. Roberts field hockey team isn’t one to celebrate.
The defending District 1-3A champs act like they’ve been there before … because they have.
Leclaire and her teammates made an exception Wednesday night. The senior forward was mobbed by her teammates after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to give No. 4 Owen J. Roberts a 1-0 win over No. 14 Spring-Ford in the second round of the District 1-3A playoffs. The Wildcats face Souderton Friday in the quarterfinals as they look to continue defending their crown.
“We were struggling putting the ball in the net the entire game,” Leclaire said. “And finally hearing the backboard was just awesome … It didn’t feel real.”
Here’s Olivia Leclaire’s OT game-winner for @ojrfh. pic.twitter.com/IWzthJoTxi
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) October 24, 2019
After Spring-Ford got two shots on goal in the opening minute, Owen J. Roberts was the dominant team for much of the remainder of the contest.
The Wildcats earned 19 penalty corners and put 21 shots on goal, compared to four and eight, respectively, for the Rams. The Spring-Ford defense bent but did not break.
.@ojrfh senior Olivia Leclaire on her game-winning goal against Spring-Ford on Wednesday. @AthleticsOjr pic.twitter.com/aMki6FV6Hj
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) October 24, 2019
Spring-Ford goalie Ashley Della Guardia saved 15 shots in the game. She made a one-on-one stop on OJR’s Jenna Kirby in the final minutes of regulation and then made three saves early in overtime to keep the Rams’ season alive before Leclaire ended it with 6:50 left in OT off an assist by Maddi Koury.
Freshman Julia Corropolese came up big for Spring-Ford multiple times, including a defensive save, as did the rest of the Rams’ defense as they stood strong on 19 OJR corner tries.
“It was a great game,” Spring-Ford coach Jennie Anderson said. “We were on the defensive end a lot, but our defense was amazing tonight. We just said we’re very proud of the girls. We wanted them to leave it all on the field and play a full game that we talked about and they did. We said walk out of here with your heads high because you deserve to.”
An intercepted pass set up the Wildcats’ game-winning goal, catching a Spring-Ford defense that had packed things tight all night in transition. Koury passed the ball toward the middle of the field, and Leclaire beat Della Guardia in a foot race there to win possession. Leclaire gained control dribbled to her right then fired the ball off the back of the cage.
“She is really tough to get through, even the past games she has been,” Leclaire said of Della Guardia. “But there’s always a way.”
The Wildcats beat the Rams in the second round of the district playoffs last season as well, then topped Spring-Ford twice during the regular season, including a 4-1 win at OJR on Oct. 8 Anderson said her team didn’t let any of the previous results dismay them heading into Wednesday’s game as they battled their Liberty Division rival and the reigning district champs for more than 66 minutes of play.
“I can’t say enough how proud of them we are because they didn’t let the fact that they beat us twice this year intimidate us,” Anderson said. “We know anything can happen in playoffs. Seed don’t matter. You gotta get in, and we fought our best tonight.”
A year after losing a large senior class, the Rams will graduate 10 seniors again this season, including starters Lauren Constantine, Kate Crist, Shannon Kennedy, Kylie Martin, Angelina Pinciotti and Della Guardia.
“Everything,” Anderson described of what the senior class his meant to the program. “From the leadership they give both on and off the not only on the field but in the classroom as well. They’re great students, they’re great athletes, they’re great people and we can’t say enough about them.”
OJR won each of its district games by two scores or more last season, including a 2-0 win over Perkiomen Valley in the district title game. The Wildcats hope to avoid another scare like Wednesday’s as they continue their title defense.
What will it take to repeat?
“Hard work every single practice, scrimmaging, learning new things, watching film and basically getting back out there and just defending our title,” Leclaire said.
