Ephrata Handles the Pressure
- 23 September 2008
Emily Beamesderfer said she wants to study marketing or elementary education when she enrolls in college next year.Monday afternoon, Ephrata's senior forward employed both disciplines on her game-winning goal that lifted the Mountaineers over visiting Cocalico, 2-1 in overtime in a battle between Section Two field hockey leaders.
First, Beamesderfer sold the defender on her move, then she schooled the goalie with a brilliant shot between the pads.
"All I could think about was we had to win,'' said Beamesderfer, who had also knotted the game at 1-1 with just 2:54 left in regulation. "There was no way we were going to let them beat us twice.''
Ephrata's Emily Beamesderfer, who scored both goals for the
Mountaineers in Monday's 2-1 overtime victory, works
against Cocalico's Alyson Becker.
© Deb Grove / Intelligencer Journal
Cocalico had beaten the Mounts 4-3 in overtime in their first meeting on Sept. 3 in Denver. This time, Ephrata (5-2 L-L, 6-4 overall) was able to protect its home turf as well.
The Eagles (4-3, 5-6) fell into a tie for third with Lampeter-Strasburg (4-3) and Garden Spot (4-3) while Manheim Central (4-2 L-L) took over second, a half-game behind Ephrata. The top three teams qualify for the L-L League playoffs which get under way Oct. 11.
"It was a good, hard-fought hockey game,'' said Rhoda Mountz, who's in her third go-round as head coach at Ephrata. "I have a lot of confidence in our overtime team. The girls just play that well.''
Beamesderfer admitted that she likes the more wide-open spaces in the 7-on-7 overtime period versus the 11 players per side in regulation. More importantly, she said she thrives on those types of pressure situations, where just one move -- or mistake -- can make the difference in the outcome.
"I love that pressure. I feel that I work better under pressure,'' Beamesderfer said. "There's so much riding on your back.''
"One of the things we needed to do was keep the ball off No. 1's (Beamesderfer) stick,'' said Cocalico coach Krista Page. "She is very dangerous inside the circle.''
"Beam is deadly in front of the goal,'' said Mountz.
Beamesderfer supplied the two daggers that cut the heart out of the Eagles on Monday, although Cocalico certainly had its moments to shine.
Jordan Page gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead with a goal off a penalty corner 4:48 before halftime. Daytona Moore supplied the assist.
The second half, though, was dominated by Ephrata, both in play on the field and statistically.
The Mounts generated seven second-half corners, converting the game-tying goal on the sixth as Kelly Martin fed Beamesderfer, whose shot glanced off Cocalico goalie Haley Mitchell (8 saves) and into the cage at the 27:06 mark.
"My kids' chins hit their chests,'' Krista Page said after Beamesderfer's game-tying goal. "I think Ephrata outplayed us at times. They stepped up their offense. I think Ephrata has improved since (the first meeting).''
Cocalico still had its chances, and could have easily been up 2-0 at the half if the Eagles could have finished inside the circle. Ephrata goalie Samantha Wilt stopped five first-half shots and eight in the game. The Mounts' Becky Burkholder and the Eagles' Makena Donahue both had defensive saves.
"We had opportunities (to score),'' said Page. "That's been our struggle all year.''
The struggle for Ephrata and Cocalico, as well as L-S, Manheim and even Garden Spot, is to put together a short winning streak, grab the section title outright or at least finish in the top three to earn a league playoff berth.
"I feel its going to come down to the end,'' Page said of the tight section race.
"The section is crazy,'' said Mountz. "It could be any one of us. It's who's going to shine at the end?''
Beamesderfer took the spotlight for Ephrata Monday. She was all business as she moved her team to the head of the class in Section Two.
We here at www.ephratamounts.com are proud sponsors of the Dodgeball for Diabetes tournament.