Raiders eliminated in field hockey playoffs

Team knocked out by B-R

By: Rudy Brandl
   Not even the fourth time was a charm for the Hillsborough High field hockey team.
   Friday’s 2-0 loss at Bridgewater-Raritan in the North Jersey Group 4 quarterfinals marked the fourth time this season the Raiders have lost to their divisional and county rivals. B-R won the Delaware East Division with a pair of one-goal victories during the regular season and dealt Hillsborough a more agonizing defeat in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals in a game decided by penalty strokes.
   The state playoff meeting wasn’t as close. In fact, the Raiders hadn’t lost a game by more than one goal before Friday’s elimination setback.
   B-R scored once in each half and blanked the Raiders for the third time this season to advance to the North Group 4 semifinals. Hillsborough had started its post-season run with a thrilling 1-0 double overtime victory at Hunterdon Central but couldn’t sustain the momentum into Friday.
   "It just didn’t feel the same," HHS junior goalkeeper Ellyn Griggs said.
   For a complete summary of Hillsborough’s playoff action, see Thursday’s Hillsborough Beacon.