Hardner's goal lifts Derryfield field hockey past Bow in overtime (video)

MANCHESTER - The Derryfield School field hockey team seems to like playing in overtime.

After the Cougars needed some extra time their last game out to pick up their first win of the season, they battled Bow to a scoreless tie through 60 minutes on Tuesday.

With the way Falcons goalie Anna Tsouros was playing, it looked like the teams might finish overtime that way, too. But with 2:35 remaining, Derryfield finally got a shot past the Bow keeper, as Taylor Hardner got enough of a shot by Ann Young that it changed direction and found the back of the cage for a 1-0 win for the Cougars.

"We’re not bad at overtime we’ve come to learn," Derryfield coach Kelsey Federico said. "There’s a lot of space on the field, it opens things up. Even though they were exhausted, I was kind of happy because they do well with it."

That space helped the Cougars get the better of the chances in the overtime, as Derryfield had a shot hit the outside of the cage and another by Kennedy Overhoff that hit off the post. The Cougars had eight shots in the extra period, with Tsouros making five of her 14 saves, including three in a row moments before the goal.

"They had a lot of opportunities that just hit the post or slightly missed," Bow coach Cherie Snow said. "I have to give a lot of credit to Anna, she played an outstanding game. She was a huge, huge asset. She played an outstanding game and she stopped a lot of their shots that came through."

Derryfield (2-3) got two saves from goalie Jess Avalon, as the defense of Margaret Abate, Anna Induni and Kenzie Miller helped limit the scoring chances for the Falcons (2-2). The Cougars finished the game with 10 penalty corners, while the Falcons had just three, two of which came in the first quarter.

"They played great," Federico said. "I think there are games where we dominate in a couple of quarters and then the other team dominates. I think every single quarter was ours and we did dominate in each part of the game. It was just a finishing piece."

Despite that, it looked like Bow had broken through late in the third quarter, when a shot into the circle appeared to be tipped into the back of the goal. But officials ruled the ball hadn't been touched by any of the Falcons in the circle and the game remained scoreless.

Derryfield kept the pressure up in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get one past Tsouros, and Bow had a chance in the final minute, but couldn't capitalize.

While the Cougars had picked up a 2-1 win in overtime against Merrimack Valley last Friday, there was no guarantee they'd get the best chances in this extra session.

"When it came to overtime, they have some skilled players in their midfield and backfield, so watching them play, it was pretty close on either end. In that moment, I felt like it could have been anybody," Federico said. "It’s anyone’s game in overtime."

Bow was playing in its first game since the death of classmate Nicholas Ouellette, a junior on the football team, and his younger brother, Gavin, who were killed in a car accident last Friday. The team had arranged a large No. 55 on the fence next to its bench, the number worn by Ouellette.

"They played with their hearts," Snow said. "It’s been a very tough couple of days, especially coming back to school. They played with their hearts and to the best of their ability, trying to keep their heads in the game, with the struggles they’re all feeling. As a team, you’re affected."