The Garrison Forest-Bryn Mawr field hockey rivalry reigns supreme in the IAAM A Conference. The squads have been crowned the conference champion each of the last three years: the Grizzlies winning in 2007 and 2008, and Bryn Mawr in 2009.
Thursday afternoon, Geagy Pritchard added her name in the latest chapter of the rivalry. The Garrison Forest sophomore scored the winning goal in overtime, lifting the No. 8 Grizzlies to a 2-1 decision over the fifth-ranked Mawrtians at rain-soaked St. Paul’s School.
Sunday afternoon at noon at Goucher College, Garrison Forest will play Notre Dame Prep for the IAAM A championship glass bowl. Top-seeded and 10th-ranked Notre Dame Prep defeated Roland Park Country School, 1-0, in the other semifinal Thursday at Garrison Forest.
With two minutes elapsed in overtime, Pritchard gained possession of a loose ball in front of the net, spun around and fired a laser shot that careened off the right post and into the back of the cage to send the Grizzlies (15-2-1 overall) back to Championship Sunday. The Grizzlies’ win exacts revenge on Bryn Mawr (12-5), who defeated Garrison in double overtime in last year’s finals.
“I just saw the ball and turned around and hit it and hoped it went it,” said Pritchard. “Bryn Mawr has always been one of our top competitors. They’ve always had really good athletes and we’ve just been back and forth with them. It feels great to get the win.”
“The Bryn Mawr-Garrison competition has been going on for a number of years. It is an intense rivalry and I think they are an outstanding team,” added Grizzlies coach Traci Davis. “Today, it went our way.”
Bryn Mawr sophomore goalie Claire Edelman’s 15 saves kept the Grizzlies attack off the scoreboard for the majority of the first half until Cody Magnus tied the game at 1-1 with four minutes remaining. Eliza Clemens had given the Mawrtians an early lead with a score with 7:52 left in the first half.
“She [Edelman] made some terrific saves,” said Davis. “I think for us, it was that persistence in the circle that helped us punch it threw.”
Garrison goalie Candice Fisher had four saves in the win.
The Grizzlies now look to claim their third title in four years Sunday against the Blazers. The teams split a pair of 1-0 decisions during the regular season.
Pritchard is confident Garrison can once again hoist the trophy.
“This win just pumps us up and we know we can win,” said Pritchard. “We have beaten NDP already this season. We are prepared to do it.”
