Sterling, Va. — There is a history of very close games between the field hockey teams at Dominion High School and Briar Woods High School.
In the 2016 season, Dominion and Briar Woods played an absolute squeaker on Briar Woods’ grass field, with the Falcons having possession nearly 90 percent of the game, but the Titans scored on a break-away goal with less than a minute left in the game to win 1-0. In the 2017 contest – which was a back and forth game – Briar Woods scored the lone goal of the game in the last two minutes to win 1-0. Last year, the teams battled back and forth again, with Briar Woods coming out on top of the highly contested game, 2-1.
Dominion has had a great defense the last three years and the undefeated Titans have a great defense again this year, and a great deal of the Titans’ success has been attributable to senior USA Field Hockey National Futures and Junior Olympian goalkeeper Hannah Johnston.
In the game on September 12, it was a back and forth game that eventually ended in Dominion’s favor as the Titans defeated the Falcons, 2-1.
[adrotate banner=”10″]At the 15:12 mark of the first half, Dominion senior Ellie Newman scored the game’s first goal on a rebound off of a nice top shelf lifted ball by Dominion senior Julia Samaha that was blocked by Briar Woods first-year senior goalie Miranda Gonzalez – who was a manager the past two years.
After the goal from the Titans, the Falcons looked like they woke up from a long slumber. They played great possession hockey the remainder of the contest, earning about 70 percent of the overall possession of the game. Despite winning the possession battle, Briar Woods only scored one goal on the night. The lone goal was scored unassisted by Briar Woods senior Kyra Vlassis at the 12:20 mark of the first period on a pretty, right to left flick shot that was not seen by Johnston and hammered the left side board of the goal.
“Kyra Vlassis has been very solid in making things happen for the Falcons,” Briar Woods head coach Christine Keyser said. “She really sets the example for the rest of the team to follow.”
Dominion senior Jessie Lee – a Villanova lacrosse commit – scored the final goal of the game with about two minutes remaining in the first half.
The second half would see the Falcons absolutely dominate possession and create numerous scoring chances that the Falcons could not capitalize on. Two scoring opportunities that were turned away by Johnston were the highlights of the game. At the 13:45 mark of the second half, a Briar Woods player flicked the ball over Johnston – who had just dove on the ground to make a save – and the ball was stopped from going into the goal by the thigh of a Titan defender.
Sometimes you have games where your goalie bails you out. Tonight was one of those games.
–Coach Christy Gaitten
When a ball would otherwise have gone in the goal but is stopped by the body part of a defensive player – other than the goalie – a penalty stroke is awarded. In a penalty stroke, a member of the attacking team has the opportunity to push or flick the ball from a spot eight meters from the center of the goal line against the goalie, who lines up with feet on the goal line.
In this case, a penalty stroke was awarded to Briar Woods, and Johnston stopped Vlassis’s attempt to flick the ball into the top right corner of the goal.
“Sometimes you have games where your goalie bails you out,” Dominion head coach Christy Gaitten said. “Tonight was one of those games.”
After the penalty stroke was blocked , Briar Woods continued to dominate possession and generate penalty corner after penalty corner only to be turned away by the Titan defense and Johnston. Vlassis got another chance to score on a penalty stroke against Johnston at the 6:59 mark of the second half, after a Briar Woods player again flicked the ball over Johnston and into the shin of a Titan defender..
This time around, Vlassis attempted to fit the ball inside the left post, only to be blocked by the left glove and stick of Johnston.
“I am super proud of the team and how they fought until the end of the game trying to make something happen,” Keyser said. “It’s a bit of a rebuilding year for us after losing seven seniors to graduation. Our returning players are having to learn how to be in charge and use the whole field to their advantage.”
Vlassis and the Falcons will try to bounce back when they host Loudoun Valley on September 18, and the Titans will look to stay hot as they travel to Riverside on September 16.
“This is the second game in a row where we found a way to win despite not playing our best hockey. We have a lot to work on in practice and need to get all of our players healthy and back on the pitch,” Dominion assistant coach Nicole Sullivan said. “It is good to win though. It’s always good to win.”
