DigitalSports FanShare: Click here send in your photos and videos from the game!
Click
on the “Photos” and “Videos” tabs above to view pictures and video
highlights from the Bruins’ victory over Woodbridge.
Heading into the AAA Cardinal District field hockey final, Forest Park head coach Edie Pybus knew that penalty corners would be a key to defeating Woodbridge. The Bruins spend a lot of time during practice getting the timing on the corners just right.
“We were practicing it so that it would be precise each time,” said Pybus. “Timing is everything on a corner. If it’s slow, you’ll never have it.”
It was those perfectly timed penalty corners that led the Bruins to their fourth consecutive Cardinal District title with a 2-0 win over the Vikings at Woodbridge High School on Thursday night. On each goal-scoring corner, junior midfielder Samantha Schottler sent in the ball to senior Kirsten Wilburn at the top of the striking circle, who in turn stroked the ball towards cage. Each time, Schottler was there to poke it in.
“I am just happy that I wasn’t lazy and got there in time,” said Shottler, whose first goal came with just over 20 minutes left in the first half. Her second goal came early in the second half to give Forest Park a two-goal cushion against the Vikings. It was those two penalty corners that made the difference in an otherwise close contest. In the two team’s fourth meeting of the year, both had four shots on goal and eight penalty corner opportunities. Forest Park goalkeeper Lydia Phillips, the hero of the Bruins’ overtime win over the Vikings in the two team’s playback game last week, had four saves.
Despite the Bruins familiarity with taking the district trophy, the victory was especially sweet for Pybus and her six seniors.
“It is a great feeling, because they know that they’ve done it,” said Pybus, in her second year as the Bruins’ varsity coach. “Some of these girls have been with us for four years and they’ve done every one.”
“This is the best feeling in the world, especially because it’s my last year. It meant everything to me,” added Wilburn. “This year, we have an amazing team. We gave it our all and it definitely shows.”
The Bruins will take on No. 2 seed North Stafford from the Commonwealth District next Tuesday in the first round on the Northwest Region tournament. The Vikings will play the winner of tonight’s Cedar Run District final between Liberty and Osbourn Park.
Processing your request, Please wait....
