Courtney Gould scores the game-winning goal in the final minute of overtime.
By Bob McPhee
Staff Writer

RUMFORD – Jay senior Courtney Gould scored on a nifty crossing pass from Rachel Gagnon with 52 seconds left in the second overtime as Jay made the last of several rallies in a 4-3 MVC field hockey win over Mountain Valley at chilly Hosmer Field.

The Tigers forced the extra session when Kristin Uhuad scored on a slap shot off a penalty corner to the short side with 43 seconds remaining in regulation.

Class B Mountain Valley (8-6) and Class C Jay (9-4-1) both expect to qualify for their respective playoffs. The Falcons anticipate hosting a preliminary game on Saturday, while Jay would play next Tuesday.

“In overtime our strategy was to hustle, hustle, hustle,” Jay coach Kelly Morin said. “We wanted to get the ball ahead of the Mountain Valley players, and that’s one thing my girls do well is carry the ball. In the second half, the difference had been Mountain Valley setting up to take free hits, and we weren’t getting back in time.”

On the winning play, Gagnon rushed in on the left side and sent a diagonal crossing pass from outside the circle. Gould, who was near the right post, re-directed a shot past Falcons goalie Kim Clark (seven saves).

The pace of the game picked up considerably after intermission, as both teams scored two goals.

Mountain Valley pulled ahead 2-1 when Michelle Woods one-timed a shot past Jay goalie Kaylie Demillo (five saves). Nikki Demers assisted on the play two minutes into the second half.

Jay’s Amy Gray tied the score again at 2-2.

“This was a tough one to lose,” Mountain Valley coach Melissa Forbes said. “We were playing without two starters (Samm Johnson and Kaly Bernard) with sprained ankles, but I had freshmen and sophomores out there who were getting the job done.”

It was 1-1 at halftime.

Mountain Valley called an early timeout, and Ashley Arsenault scored less than two minutes later from Jennifer Hamann and Jessica Allen. Jay tied the game when Ashley Uhuad poked in a rebound.

Jay received a huge effort from Heather Johnson, who was the lone defender in the wide- open overtime.

“The Jay girls play as a unit,” Morin said. “I believe we might move up with this win, but we’ll see how the standings come out on Friday. All I know is this team is rolling along to the playoffs.”