By Lesley Graham
The Ocean City High School field hockey team battled to a 1-1 tie with Haddonfield High School Friday evening in an aggressive back-and-forth overtime game.
Jaclyn Charbonneau was the lone scorer for Ocean City, with her goal coming late in the first half.
The draw brings Ocean City’s record to 10-1-1, while Haddonfield goes to 8-2-2.
Ocean City dominated the first half in time of possession. The Red Raiders had plenty of scoring opportunities, amassing five penalty corners in the first half but were unable to convert on any of them.
Charbonneau eventually found the back of the cage with 2:45 remaining in the first half.
Haddonfield, the 2017 Group I champs, evened up the scoreboard midway through the second half. At the end of regulation, a 10-minute overtime was played, but neither team was able to score.
Although the end result was not what Ocean City Head Coach Kelsey Mitchell had hoped for, the Red Raiders displayed moments of brilliance in their ability to read the field, connect on passes and showcase their teamwork.
Both teams were aggressive all over the field, and both goalies showed poise and athleticism throughout the game.
Ocean City’s senior goalkeeper, Maddie Kahn, came up with some huge saves in overtime to keep her team fighting for a chance to break the tie.
“When she’s getting a lot of action, she’s tuned in and ready to go,” Mitchell said of Kahn.
The non-conference matchup was a good test for Ocean City before playoffs begin. Mitchell hopes to see a more sustained attack and more goals scored going forward.
The Red Raiders don’t have to wait long. They have a quick turnaround when they take on Oak Knoll, the 2017 Tournament of Champions winner, at home on Saturday afternoon.
“(Saturday), we have to be ready to do the same thing all over again,” Mitchell said.
Ocean City will square off against Oak Knoll on the turf at Carey Stadium at 1 p.m.
