11/07/09
CREVE COEUR - The Midwest Field Hockey Tournament started in 1978. In 1979, Mary Institute won the championship.

Saturday, putting an end to a 30-year drought, the host Rams of MICDS upended top-seeded St. Joseph's Academy 2-1 in strokes to pick up their second championship.

"We've been to the finals four times in the last eight years,'' said MICDS coach Lynn Mittler, whose team entered the single-elimination tournament seeded third behind St. Joe's and John Burroughs. "The first time, we were blown out, the second time we lost in regulation and the last time, two years ago, we lost in double overtime. So, when today's game went to strokes, all I could think was 'No'''

But the Rams, who overcame a late second-half deficit to get Saturday's match to overtime, made sure their title-game progression was snapped by outscoring the Angels 4-1 in strokes.

"Believe me, I'd much rather have had it decided in regulation or playing seven-on-seven (in overtime),'' Mittler said. "Strokes are just like penalty kicks in soccer; they put way too much pressure on the goalie and the shooters. But that's the way the game is decided _ St. Joe's won in strokes last year _ and we were able to pull it out today.''

In strokes, the Rams (19-6) received goals from Hannah Thiemann, Corrinne Palmer, Elizabeth Thiemann and Allison Weisenfels. Grace Fisher scored for St. Joe's (19-4), but the Angels also had its first-round shot hit the goal post and its third-rounder stopped by MICDS senior goaltender Elizabeth Berkbigler.

"I felt like we had a pretty good chance (in strokes),'' Mittler said. "It's one of those things we practice pretty regularly. We have some real strong shooters and I'm always pretty confident with Lizzie in goal.''

Berkbigler had mixed feelings going into the shootout.

"I was confident, in myself and especially in my team,'' she said. "But I was also nervous. I just try to do whatever I can to stop the shot. I never look at the shooter's eyes because they'll try to psyche you out. I just try to focus on the ball and doing what I have to do to get in front of it.''

The match was scoreless through for nearly 50 minutes until the Angels' Jenny Hummert scored off a scramble with a blast to the far corner.

But the Rams, who fell 3-1 to St. Joe's in the teams' regular-season match, answered quickly, scoring off a penalty corner about 3 1/2 minutes later. Weisenfels started the play with a pass to Elizabeth Thiemann, whose pass toward the Angel goal was re-directed into the net by Catherine Levis.

"If we'd lost this game, the thing that would've really stood out would've been all the missed opportunities,'' said Mittler, whose team created a number of quality chances off their penalty corners. "But to come back the way we did really says a lot about this group's resilience. And honestly, that's something that wasn't there all season.

"We had our ups and downs, but this group of seniors really picked it up the last few weeks and the juniors added the hustle we needed.'

Mittler continued: "The girls taped "Believe'' on all their sticks and then went out and played an outstanding game. I couldn't be any prouder of them.''

jlyons@post-dispatch.com/636-255-7205