The combination of Kendall Peterson and stout defense proved to be a perfect combination for Notre Dame Prep Wednesday afternoon as the No. 10 Blazers upended third-ranked Garrison Forest School, 1-0, in an IAAM A Conference match in Owings Mills.
“This is a huge game, this is our first real game of the season,” said Peterson, a sophomore midfielder. “It was a hard game, and it’s great that we won.”
Off a corner, Peterson took a crossing pass from Kelsey Gahan and knocked the ball across the goal with 14 minutes, 32 seconds remaining in the first half, giving Notre Dame Prep (2-0 overall, 1-0 IAAM A) the lead for good.
“I was on the post and I was hoping to get it and hit in the corner,” said Peterson. “I was just in the right spot. I thought we would score more.”
The Blazers’ defensive unit featuring Hope Daily, Caroline Chavatel, Meaghan Smith, Lauren Jackson kept Garrison Forest (1-2, 0-2 IAAM A) at bay, denying the Grizzlies on six penalty corners in the second half. Senior goalie Quinn Feeley had seven saves for Notre Dame Prep.
“We owed a lot to the defense,” said Smith. “The forwards come back as much as they can, everyone works together in the circle to get the ball as fast as possible.
We’ve really bonded as a team this year. Our passing skills have really improved. We know how the other person plays.”
While the Blazers are playing like a veteran unit, Garrison Forest is enduring a learning curve with a young roster. The Grizzlies dropped their second game in as many days.
“We came out flat and we couldn’t turn it around,” said Garrison Forest coach Traci Davis, whose team lost to St. Mary’s Tuesday in Annapolis. “We’re a young team with a lot of talent and we have to figure out how to bring it along. We didn’t start out well and we didn’t finish any better.”
The Grizzlies look to get back on track Saturday as they host a one-day invitational with Winters Mill, Mount de Sales Academy and No. 18 Mount Hebron. Notre Dame Prep will host Roland Park Country in league action Friday.
Notre Dame Prep 1, Garrison Forest School 0
Goal: Notre Dame Prep-Peterson
