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Falcons survive, beat Joel Barlow on strokes

AVON, Nov. 12 – Time was running out for the Avon High field hockey team in its Class M quarterfinal match with No. 10 Joel Barlow-Redding. The visitors had 1-0 lead in the waning minutes of the contest.

“We were just trying desperately to get the ball into the net,” Ziemnicki said. “We were completely possessed trying to get the ball into the goal.”

Sophomore Elle Crane popped in a goal with 1:33 left in regulation to give the Falcons new life. Avon survived three OT sessions and prevailed on penalty strokes, 3-1, to earn its second spot in the semifinals in three seasons.

In overtime, four field players are removed and the teams play 7-on-7. Still, there was no score.

“It was a matter of finishing,” Ziemnicki said. “Joel Barlow had a great goalie and they were getting their sticks down enough to mess us up.”

Avon nearly won the game in the final minutes of the third OT. They were awarded a penalty shot with 58 seconds remaining but Meg Pulling shot the ball clear over the top of the goal.

In penalty strokes, Avon scored on three of its first shots while Falcon goalie Julia Plourd made three stops on their first four shots. Jess Portal and Kelsey Herbert scored on a nice shots and it was Pulling that clinched the victory with her goal.

Avon outshot Barlow, 36-12 and had a 17-8 edge in penalty corner opportunities. Plourd made eight saves in net.

“This was one of the most exciting games I’ve coached,” Ziemnicki said.

Avon 6, Wethersfield 1

AVON, Nov. 10 – Morgan Collings had two goals while Meg Pulling and Jess Portal added goals to lead No. 2 Avon to a Class M second round win at home. It was Wethersfield’s first tournament appearance in 15 years (1994).

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Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.

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