Sandwich field hockey wins overtime thriller to advance to the Final Four

SANDWICH — Overtime in field hockey is a different animal.

After 60 minutes spent playing 11 versus 11, overtime is 10 minutes spent at seven versus seven.

"Oh it's a lot different," Sandwich field hockey's Khloe Schultz said. "There's less people to rely on. It's a faster game too because the ball moves fast up and back, and you just have to keep moving with it."

A game inherently built on running becomes a true test of a team's conditioning, and their mental fortitude, as the seven players are now responsible for covering the same space normally occupied by 11. Add in the fact that the first goal is decisive, and it all equals an incredibly high-stakes environment.

The No. 4 Sandwich Blue Knights (20-0-2) faced that test, and passed. Sandwich beat No. 5 Foxborough 2-1 in overtime to secure its place in the MIAA Division 3 Final Four.

"That was will," Sandwich head coach Kelsy Beaton said. "Because they're exhausted, so exhausted. It's so much running, and that shows heart. Besides skill, you've got to love heart as a coach."

How they got there was also a testament to that same resiliency.

Friday HS roundup: HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP: Barnstable football defeats unbeaten Peabody to advance to Final Four

In Friday's win, the Blue Knights had to do something they haven't been very accustomed to doing this year, come from behind. The game was scoreless through three quarters, with both sides having scoring opportunities.

Then, early in the fourth quarter Foxborough took the lead, when Mary Collins scored the opener. The Blue Knights trailed late, and knew that they had to respond.

To that point, the Blue Knights offense had sputtered. They had multiple scoring chances, and Beaton said her team did a lot of things well, despite not finding the goal.

"We had the majority of the corners, the majority of the shots on net. They were a good team, but we didn't score when we should've scored," she said."

With the Blue Knights struggling to find the breakthrough offensively, it brought their defense into the spotlight. Lucky for them, their defense has been elite all season, and the Blue Knights had only given up four goals all season.

Foxborough challenged the Sandwich defense like few teams had this season, but time and time again Sandwich's defense responded.

The last line of that defense is junior goalie Avery Cobban. She's had games where she's largely been a witness this season, such was the domination that Sandwich has shown, but in this game, she was called into action multiple times.

Falmouth football player injured: Falmouth High football player injured during game, med-flighted off Cape for treatment

Cobban made multiple saves, and kept Sandwich in the game early when the score was 0-0. After the game, Beaton said her goalie was critical to the win.

"Our goalie came up huge," Beaton said. "(She had) a couple of really big saves when it could've been a different outcome."

Cobban herself gave credit to her teammates in front of her. She said the Blue Knights' defenders are the real driver of the defensive success.

"The whole season our defense has been so strong," Cobban said. "Today we just had to step it up even more playing this really strong team, and everyone, all together, played really strong and well until the end."

With the defense holding strong, the Blue Knights dug deep, and found a way back. The game-tying goal came off a corner with freshman Sadie Clarkin applying the finishing touch. After the game Clarkin said her teammates knew they didn't want their season to end.

"I think it just went through our minds that we're not losing, we just had to get one in the net and our momentum will change," Clarkin said.

The game-winning goal proved to be elusive during the remainder of regulation, and thus, overtime beckoned.

VOTE: Playoff hat tricks: Vote for the Storm Works Roofing Field Hockey Player of the Week

After digging deep to tie the game, the Blue Knights dug a little deeper to find the winner. With just over two minutes left, the ball found the stick of sophomore Khloe Schultz with over 20 yards and multiple defenders separating her and the goal.

She carefully carved her way through the tiring Foxboro defense, and found a gap to the goalie's left. Her shot ricocheted off the goalpost, and snuck in giving the Blue Knights the win.

"At the time I think everyone was covered, so I just took the open space and before I knew it, I was already down close to the goalie," Schultz said. "I just picked a corner. I looked up and saw that it was the right side, and I just shot it over the line."

The win means the Blue Knights are into the Final Four for the third consecutive season, and maintain their undefeated season. Being undefeated is an achievement in itself, but the Blue Knights have their eyes on something much bigger.

The next step in that journey is a matchup with No. 1 Watertown, the team that beat Sandwich in each of the last two state title games.

That prior experience is what gives coach Beaton confidence. This is now the third straight year the two will meet, and Beaton said the team is approaching it differently.

"I feel like that first year, the nerves were off the charts," Beaton said. "Now, even though I know we're playing Watertown, and I know how good they are, these kids don't look at Watertown and see all the (dominance). They're like, 'they played us twice already' (and) they beat us 1-0, and 2-0."

If the Blue Knights want to reach their third straight championship game, they'll have to win round three with Watertown. It's a daunting task, but Beaton said her team is refusing to concede any ground.

"I love that they are (thinking), 'it's not like we're done here,'" Beaton said. "Now they're like 'OK Watertown, here we come'."

The time and date of the Final Four matchup are to be determined. Wherever it is, it'll be a heavyweight clash.

André Simms covers high school sports for the Times. Contact him at asimms@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @that1guyandre.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans. 

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Sandwich field hockey reaches Final Four for third straight year