By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Editor
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area

Click the links above for all photos and videos from the Northern Region Tournament first-round game!

When the much-anticipated regular-season finale between Stone Bridge and Robinson was rained out, few fans complained; most thought there'd be an opportunity to see it played out in the Northern Region Tournament.

But no one thought it would be this early.

Yet after each team lost in penalty kicks in their respective district tournaments, the Bulldogs and host Rams found themselves in an elimination game that most expected, only a week ago, to be -- at least -- a regional semifinal.

"I wasn't happy," first-year Stone Bridge coach Joan Windows said of her initial reaction to the tournament bracket. "But we were going to have to face them at some point in time. We might as well face them when we were fresh."

Both sides needed fresh legs on Tuesday, as the match took three overtimes to be decided.

But, in the 91st minute, Robinson junior Audrey Barry struck gold.

Barry found a shooting window from the edge of the area, beating the goalkeeper to lift the defending state champion Rams to a 2-1, golden-goal victory over the Bulldogs and into the Northern Region quarterfinals.

"Annie [Hovland] got it somehow and ... she hit a perfect ball that I was running into," said Barry, a member of Vista Shockwave, the No. 11 club team in the nation at U-17. "I dribbled a little, cut one way and then I shot it. I looked up and it was in. At first, it was kind of unreal.

"Then, I looked up and I everyone was running at me. And I realized it was the game-winner."

Added junior midfielder Jensen Smith, on Stone Bridge: "Last year, they messed up our perfect season, so we knew we wanted to beat them and get them back for that."

It was with similar retaliation that Smith flicked in the equalizer shortly after halftime.

After a scoreless first half, Stone Bridge took the lead on a hustle play by junior Maggie Schierling in the 43rd minute.

Bulldog freshman Melissa Rodriguez took a first-touch, left-footed volley from atop the 18-yard box that Ram keeper Charlotte Owens saved. But the rebound shot straight into the air and, before Owens could regain her feet, Schierling headed it into the goal, toppling over Owens in the process.

Just four minutes later, though, after a steal in the attacking third by Robinson sophomore Stephanie Herb, the Rams equalized. A quick build-up led to a sideline run and cross by junior Kathryn Johnston from left channel.

The ball bent to Smith, who was making a near-post run, and she coolly used her head to flick the cross directly backwards, just inside the far post.

Thirty minutes of open play yielded several scoring chances -- the best of which rang off the post from a 25-yard shot by Robinson senior LeighAnne Baxter in the 78th minute -- but no goals were scored.

While the Bulldogs had the best chance of the two five-minute, silver-goal periods immediate following regulation -- a shot just wide from 12 yards by junior Megan McCabe in the 86th minute -- the Rams needed just forty seconds of golden-goal play to advance to the quarterfinals.

"We did not want to go to PKs again, it's something we never want to do again," said Barry, whose side will travel No. 2 West Springfield, 1-0 winners over Mount Vernon, on Thursday. "We want to win in regular time, or in overtime, if necessary. We never want to go to PKs again."

Added Windows, who won three consecutive state titles at River Hill, Md.: "That's what happens in overtimes. I'm proud of them. They never stopped working for the ball, they moved the ball nicely.

"We were controlling the pace of the game. I can't ask for more than what they gave."

Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com

No. 7 Stone Bridge   (9-4-2)    0  1  0  0  0 --  1
No. 4 Robinson       (13-1-1)   0  1  0  0  1 --  2

Goals:                 
SB -- Schierling (43)
RB -- Smith (47)
RB -- Barry (91)