Cardinale goal sends Raiders to SCT hockey semis

HHS also stays alive in state quest

By: Rudy Brandl
   WATCHUNG — Hillsborough High senior field hockey player Gillian Cardinale kept alive more than just her team’s Somerset County Tournament hopes when she scored the game-winning goal in overtime of Saturday’s quarterfinal battle at Mount St. Mary Academy. She may have saved the entire season.
   Cardinale scored with just over two minutes gone in the first overtime to propel the Raiders (6-7) to a 2-1 victory, which stopped a three-game losing streak and kept them in the hunt for the state playoffs.
   It was almost as if Hillsborough had to beat Mount St. Mary’s twice in this game. After dominating 60 minutes of regulation only to see their lead wiped out late in the second half, the Raiders won the game in overtime to advance to Saturday’s county semifinals vs. Pingry. With the Delaware East Division out of reach, the Raiders are focusing on the county tournament.
   "The girls really wanted this," HHS head coach Peach Draper said afterward. "They’ve been communicating well and this is their goal now."
   Cardinale converted a pass from Lauren Griggs and used the back of her stick to flick home a nifty goal at the far right post. Cardinale’s scoring method may have been unusual, but it was certainly effective.
   "We’re told not to use our reverse stick, but I did it anyway," Cardinale said. "It was right in the corner. I got really lucky."
   The Raiders had been unlucky for most of the game after Carlin Dunne gave the visitors a 1-0 lead with 5:23 remaining in the first half. Dunne took a nice crossing pass from Melissa Dileone and tapped it in on the far left post.
   Hillsborough kept pressing for an insurance goal but it never came. Mount St. Mary goalkeeper Nikki Bruder kicked out a few dangerous chances, especially those created by Hillsborough left back Danielle Cszysz and her dangerous long hits. The Raiders enjoyed a big edge in penalty corners but couldn’t convert any of them into goals.
   The Mount (8-4) tied the score with 8:24 to go in regulation when Katie Walton smacked a hard shot from the left side after the team’s second straight penalty corner. Cardinale and Emily Rothschild had scoring chances in the final eight minutes for the Raiders, but the game progressed to overtime and a 7-on-7 format.
   "We were really confident with the way we were playing," Cardinale said. "We practice 7-on-7 all the time and we’re pretty confident in overtime."
   Hillsborough shut down Mount St. Mary scoring leader Steph Matone. The Raiders double-teamed Matone, who managed only one dangerous shot in the second half.
   HHS senior goalkeeper Ellyn Griggs needed to make only three saves, but one of them may have been her best of the season. Griggs fully extended herself to stop an attacker from tying the game at the far left post. Coaches and fans on the sideline couldn’t believe the ball didn’t hit the back of the cage.
   "I don’t even know how I got it," said Griggs, who posted her fifth shutout of the season. "I just sprawled out. I couldn’t let them score."
   The Raiders were coming off three straight close losses to very good teams – 1-0 vs. Voorhees and Warren Hills and 2-0 vs. division champ Bridgewater-Raritan, which faces Bernards in the other SCT semifinal. They desperately needed to prevail Saturday.
   "This is really good for their confidence," Draper said. "It’s very exciting for them. We haven’t been in overtime this year, but we practice it a lot. It’s good to have a big win like this."
   The Raiders will travel to Freehold and host Watchung Hills this week. If they can win both games, they’ll qualify for the state playoffs. After a 1-4 start, the team has come together and given itself a chance to compete in the post-season.
   "This season has been a roller-coaster," Cardinale said. "This affects our record for states. We knew we had to win this game."