Late penalty stroke gives Nashua South field hockey win over Timberlane (video)

NASHUA - The stage was set Monday for something strange to happen.

For the third time this fall, the field hockey teams from Nashua High School South and Timberlane Regional prepared to play in Nashua.

The game had been rescheduled twice already, and because of conflicts at Stellos Stadiums, the teams were playing on the field inside South's track, where there are no lights.

Start time was set for 5:15 p.m., an hour and 22 minutes before sunset, but because the officials were scheduled to do other games in other locales beforehand, and were delayed getting to the field.

The game didn't start until 5:45, or less than an hour before sunset.

Once on the field, the teams battled through a scoreless half before Timberlane took control of the pace in the third quarter. South struggled to get the ball across midfield until a position switch in the fourth quarter, and midway through, the Panthers finally got an opportunity.

With darkness creeping in, South got its first penalty corner since the opening five minutes of the game, and during the corner, the near official ruled that a Timberlane player hit the ball with the wrong side of her stick, giving the Panthers a penalty stroke.

Saige Devins lined up for the attempt, and as soon a the whistle blew, she ripped a shot past Owls goalie Brandi Garand with 5:31 left in the game.

South (4-7) made the goal standup, despite two corners for Timberlane late, and the Panthers picked up a 1-0 win in a Division I game.

"Late start, no officials, and I think we had the longest warmup ever," South coach Ciki McIntire said. "Just fighting through adversity. I think we gave up (a lot) of defensive corners and to be a to hold them through that, we knew it was going to be a good game. We knew Timberlane was going to be good. We keep talking about finding ways to win, and they did."

For the Owls (2-7) more frustration in what's been a, at times, frustrating season. Of Timberlane's losses, only has been by more than two goals, with three of them - including Monday - in one-goal games.

Against South, Timberlane had 18 penalty corners, but just couldn't get one past Panthers goalie Xiadani DeLaLima (14 saves).

"It’s frustrating," Timberlane coach Bailee Freeman said. "It’s on us. We had opportunities, we had corners, it shouldn’t have come down to one play. The fact that they’re competing, I’m proud of them. They don’t want to give up. They’re fighting until the end."

In the beginning, it was South that took control. The Panthers got into the Owls' circle and had a couple of chances, including a corner, but Garand (15 saves) and the Timberlane defense stood tall.

"That was big because it was probably our biggest issue in the beginning of the season," Freeman said. "Coming out, these long bus rides have been tough for us. These slow starts … it is what it is and you’re going to roll with the punches."

Play went back and forth for the rest of the first half, but the difference was the Owls were getting corners and more opportunities to score. Timberlane had 10 corners in the first half, but couldn't take advantage.

It was more of the same in the third until South tried to mix up the lineup.

"We talked about using the outside of the field and finding space because their defense was so far up," McIntire said. "Finally, they were able to switch fields and we moved Nyah (Musa) up to forward just to give the forwards a break, but she found that extra spark.

"And Maren (Lowell) in the middle who just decides that it’s time we’re going to score, and she goes all out for it. It’s just those little sparks."

And Devins capped it off with the game-winner.

"Saige had such confidence and poise," McIntire said. "I knew she could stick it, but it’s a whole different story when the game is on the line. We knew we wanted her to take it."