Despite dominating the third quarter, Upper Perkiomen's field hockey team managed just one goal. That inability to deliver a second goal led to a season-ending loss last week.

Julia Trainer, center, fights past a defender during Upper Perkiomen's season ending loss on Nov. 1

           Liv Dwyer's overtime goal lifted Marple Newtown to a 2-1 victory on Wednesday, Nov. 1, in the District One Class 2A playoffs at Keeny Stadium. The ending prevented the Indians, led by first-year head coach Meghan Griffin, from qualifying for the PIAA Championships.

            Morgan O'Hara – a senior midfielder – scored the team's only goal in her final game for the Indians. Her tally midway through the fourth quarter forced overtime.

            Upper Perk ended the season with its only two-game losing streak and absorbed consecutive season-ending overtime losses. 

            "Hopefully, the girls coming back next year can use this feeling for motivation," said Griffin, whose team allowed only five shots on goal. "A game like this definitely leaves a bad taste."

            The Tribe (15-7) finished with a four-to-one shot advantage and earned 16 penalty corners, but could only convert one of those opportunities. According to Griffin, it should have built a multi-goal lead.

            "We had a whole lot of opportunities," the coach said. "But we couldn't convert. We should have been up 3-0 in the first half."

            Less than three minutes into overtime, Dwyer delivered her second goal of the game to propel the No. 9 seeded Tigers to the fifth-place final two days later against West Chester East. She beat Tribe goalkeeper Ryann Sanfelice with a shot on a scrum in front of the cage.

            Despite allowing the game's first goal early in the third quarter, the Indians cranked up their offensive pressure during the 15-minute period. They were awarded seven corners and registered nine shots against Marple Newtown goalkeeper Maria Kaitsidis.

            Though the Tribe forced Kaitsidis to make multiple saves on those plays, the players could not properly position themselves inside the circle to convert rebounds, according to Griffin.

            "We were not getting to the right spots," she said. "That's how most of the goals on set plays are scored."

            Upper Perkiomen could not take advantage of four minutes in the third with a player advantage. Two Tigers players were forced to sit out two minutes each due to penalties during the quarter.

            The Tribe finally broke through less than six minutes into the fourth quarter on a penalty corner. O'Hara gathered a rebound off a shot by Julia Traynor, beating the Marple Newtown goalkeeper from the right wing.

            "Morgan did a good job getting herself in the right position," Griffin said. "She was ready for the rebound."

            The Indians continued to force the action during the final 15 minutes. A shot by O'Hara from the right wing rolled wide left less than three minutes after her goal.

            The Tribe earned three corners in the final 93 seconds of regulation, including two with no time remaining. It registered one shot on goal on two of them, but could not convert a rebound.

            Upper Perkiomen will lose O'Hara, defenders Caitlin Compton and Mia Schneider as well as goalkeeper Ava Hengenfeld – who played the first and third quarters against Marple Newtown – to graduation. They provided significant leadership, according to Griffin.