Derryfield makes the most of opportunities to beat Goffstown in D2 field hockey prelim (video)

MANCHESTER - Every field hockey coach would like to see her team score off all its penalty corners.

Of course, she'd probably be hoping it was on more than one attempt, but in Wednesday's playoff opener, the Derryfield School field hockey team only needed one.

Kira Geddes scored the game's only goal early in the third quarter, smashing the ball into the back of the cage on the sixth-seeded Cougars only penalty corner of the day, and Derryfield made it hold up for a 1-0 win over No. 11 Goffstown in the Division II preliminary round.

The Cougars move on to face No. 3 Portsmouth, which beat No. 14 Sanborn 7-0 also on Wednesday, in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Kennedy Overhoff got an assist on the goal and Jess Avalon made seven saves to help Derryfield (10-5) pick up its first playoff win since 2019. It was also the Cougars second win over Goffstown (6-8-1) this season, but despite beating the Grizzlies 5-2 earlier this year, Derryfield knew this would be a different game.

"I think they did awesome," Derryfield coach Kelsey Federico said of her team. "I know Goffstown, I know their program, and I knew today, the program we had played earlier in the season was going to be miles different. In prepping them for it, we were trying to get them ready really to just focus on their first step to the ball.

"First step, coming up with it, and working on some small things with our press. I think we got better at it, despite the fact we had more attacking opportunities in our previous game. We did better with it as the game went on. As soon as we got that first goal, I think we were just trying to possess as much as we could and run out the clock."

The Cougars had a lot of time to run out, as the goal by Geddes came just 1:01 into the second half. Derryfield quickly got a penalty corner to start the third quarter, Overhoff inserted the ball to Geddes at the top of the circle and the senior got it just inside the line before sending a shot on goal.

"It’s tough," Goffstown coach Jess Brown said. "One corner, one shot, and that’s the game. That is probably the beauty and heartbreak of sports right there. You can do all the right things, and we know (Geddes) is that good and she had the opportunity.

"It speaks volumes that she took advantage of that one. That is a well-executed corner. They did it perfectly, and unfortunately, we didn’t get that final touch. We had some opportunities."

The Grizzlies kept consistent pressure on Derryfield's defense and had six corners of their own, but couldn't finish, in part because the Cougars' defense of Avalon, Overhoff, Mackenzie Miller, Courtney Wold and Chloe Broomberg stepped up to take away some of those opportunities.

"We emphasized (Wednesday), after every single timeout or quarter, putting pressure on the ball carrier in our defensive (end)," Federico said. "In their midfield and on their forward line, they have people who are talented to take the ball to cage. We needed to push players up and I think we did a good job of that."

Goffstown came right back after the goal and forced Avalon to make three saves in a row before the Cougars were able to clear the ball. At the other end, Geddes nearly made it a two-goal game but Grizzlies goalie Molly Braica (five saves) came up with a big stop to keep it 1-0.

The Grizzlies had a chance to tie it, getting a corner with a little more than two minutes to play, but Avalon came up with two more stops and Derryfield cleared the circle to end the threat.

The Cougars move on to face Portsmouth, the defending champion in D2, at 2 p.m. Saturday on the seacoast. Derryfield lost to the Clippers 6-1 on Aug. 30 in its first game of the season.

"If I could choose any team this season that we could have a retry, it would be Portsmouth," Federico said. "They were our first game of the season. I think it was a game that, if it wasn’t for the three-minute span where we let in three goals right away, I think it was a competitive game. They kept their spirits so high in that game. Their energy was something I wanted to encapsulate and embrace for the entire season. We’ve done a good job of that. I’d like to see us at this point in the season, see that matchup."