CVU field hockey denies South Burlington repeat bid for first crown in 14 years

Champlain Valley subject hockey and coach Tucker Pierson know the excruciating ache of playoff exits.

This system and their coach of seven seasons have been on the doorstep of championship glory for practically 15 years. And the 2022 squad, the state’s top-ranked staff, entered Saturday’s Division I highschool subject hockey title recreation having already solved rival Bellows Falls within the semifinals.

The reward — a showdown with one other longtime adversary in South Burlington. However the Redhawks didn’t have the Wolves or Terriers on their thoughts as they labored towards well-earned {hardware}, solely Pierson.

“To get this title for her, it means the world and I feel it means the world for her as effectively,” Redhawks senior Miranda Oppenheimer mentioned.

Oppenheimer’s aim lifted No. 1 Champlain Valley to its first title in 14 years with 2:18 left within the first time beyond regulation interval, a 2-1 win to disclaim rival South Burlington a repeat crown at College of Vermont’s Moulton Winder Discipline.

Late within the time beyond regulation interval, Claire Marcoe bounced a shot off South Burlington goalie Izzy Redzic that ricocheted to the left and onto the stick of Oppenheimer, who redirected again into the cage.

“We received out on the sector and we received to enterprise,” Oppenheimer mentioned of the time beyond regulation interval. “I actually simply completed the aim. I am unsure who tipped it off the goalie, however that was the remainder of my staff. We labored collectively to get that aim and I simply completed it.”

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After crushing playoff eliminations from Bellows Falls and South Burlington within the final 5 seasons, together with title losses in 2020 and 2017, Pierson, who has by no means received a championship in 22 years of teaching, and Champlain Valley (15-2) ended the drought with a scintillating, comeback triumph.  

“We simply stored the stress on,” Marcoe mentioned of the second-half push by CVU. “We would have liked to make extra purposeful passes and intentions and we simply considered how we wish to win for our coach.”

South Burlington’s Ella Maynard scored halfway via the primary quarter on a shot that was flipped over CVU goalie Grace Ferguson (2 saves) and the Redhawks trailed 1-0 till 11:21 left within the fourth body. Regardless of the deficit, CVU remained composed and earned seven penalty corners within the first half straining the second-seeded South Burlington (13-3-1) protection.  

“Perception in ourselves doesn’t imply we did not assume that South Burlington was going to be an extremely powerful opponent,” Pierson mentioned. “And we have been saying that the entire week. You realize, it is South Burlington. They’re the defending champs. We are the underdogs. They’re those who’ve expertise on this subject and we do not as a staff.”

The Wolves, who held CVU scoreless on 11 complete penalty corners, maintained the one-goal benefit via aggressive play from netminder Redzic (6 saves). Earlier than Maynard struck for the Wolves, Redzic denied a sequence of three penalty corners, with the ultimate being a kick save to maintain the match even.

“They actually performed for 4 quarters and introduced the vitality,” South Burlington coach Anjie Soucy mentioned. “That they had a whole lot of stress on us all through the sport and we have been holding it off, however they only stored the stress lengthy sufficient and it was exhausting to carry them off.”

Marcoe equalized on a driving shot off an help from Emma Kim that energized the group for the rest of the quarter and into the 7-on-7 additional interval.  

“They have been up one fairly early and I feel we received scared at first,” Marcoe mentioned. “However as the sport went on, it received extra actual, and I simply really feel like we kicked it up and considered what we wished for our staff. And we wished to win it for Tucker.”

Marcoe and Oppenheimer each tallied objectives within the win over Bellows Falls, a rallying level for the Redhawks.  

“We simply stored believing and we believed from Tuesday (the semifinals), we believed we may win this, and we simply stored after it,” Pierson mentioned.

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Contact Jacob Rousseau at JRousseau@gannett.com. Comply with on Twitter: @ByJacobRousseau.