It was quite the autumnal afternoon yesterday on North Penn’s turf, including not only a first taste of returning fall weather, but also a North Penn field hockey triumph. In the first round of playoffs, the Maidens took control of an intense game over Bishop Shanahan in a 1-0 final.

It was a game dominated by Maiden offense, however on occasion, falling a little short when it came to capitalizing on opportunities. Despite some failed attempts, the girls kept the ball deep in Eagle territory for the majority of the game.

The first half left both teams with no score, caused by key saves from both teams’ goal tenders.

The Maidens stepped up their game into the second half. With 12 minutes remaining on the board, senior Amanda Laessig knew that her team desperately needed a lead.

“When I took the corner shot, all I thought was ‘just shoot it as hard as you can and see what happens.’ Everyone and I wanted to score so badly,” Laessig commented.

Now up by one thanks to a goal by Laessig, North Penn needed to insure that Shanahan wouldn’t rapidly retaliate. The Eagles immediately rushed into Maiden territory after the goal, but could not break senior goal tender Marissa Elizardo and the continually poised defense.

“It makes you nervous being a coach when the ball is turned over and wondering if [the other team] is going to make the most of their opportunities, but luckily our defense made some great stops,” Head Coach Shannon McCracken said after the game.

North Penn was able to hold off Shanahan until the end of the game.

“I think we had some first round jitters, but once we settled into it, I thought we played a really great second half,” McCracken said.

“It’s so important to win that first round… you know you see great teams, its playoffs. Everyone brings their best game. So to get past that first game, we’re excited to move on.”

As the number 12 seed, North Penn is in good position to carry the season far into the playoffs. The Maidens play again on Wednesday, while the opposing team is yet to be decided.