Villa Maria a state champ again

WHITEHALL, Pa. - One by one, the Villa Maria players were called to the front of the line over the loudspeaker.

When they got there, first-year coach Daan Polders was waiting for them. He placed medals around their necks and hugged them before they jogged back to their place in line. Goalkeeper Erika Miller couldn't stop smiling. Forward Adeline Delgatto couldn't stop crying. The crowd wouldn't stop cheering.

Saturday in the PIAA Class AA field hockey final, Villa Maria beat an undefeated Crestwood squad, 2-1, and earned the program's first state title since 1994. The Hurricanes overcame a 1-0 second-half deficit at Whitehall High and reversed their fortunes from two seasons ago, when they fell to the Comets in the final.

"It's a privilege to play for a championship," said Polders, who won back-to-back state titles in Colorado during the two years preceding his arrival at Villa Maria. "It's all about them."

Most of the first half was evenly matched, as neither squad scored. But 22 minutes in, Crestwood was given a penalty stroke after Villa Maria defenders stopped the ball on the goal line.

Miller said she anticipated that the shooter would aim left. She did, and Miller deflected the shot and kept the game scoreless.

"I wanted to keep us in," Miller said. "It's just me in there. I didn't want a loss to be on me."

Before the stroke, the Hurricanes lost junior forward Megan Vermeil, who suffered an injury to her foot three minutes into the game after she stepped on the ball.

After spending 20 minutes on the sideline being treated by staff, she returned near the end of the first.

"I needed to get back in," Vermeil said. "After that, I didn't even think about it."

Six minutes into the second, Crestwood junior Hunter Pitman scored to give her team a 1-0 advantage. But, soon after, Vermeil proved the value of her return.

With 16 minutes, 53 seconds remaining in regulation, Vermeil drove the ball down the field and scored to tie the game. Later, with the half nearing its end, Villa Maria drew a corner and Polders called a timeout to strategize.

The plan worked. Junior forward Abby Siana fired in a shot off an assist from Mary Cate Butler to give Villa a 2-1 advantage with just two minutes left.

"I don't even know," Siana said, putting her hands on her head in excitement. "It's unexplainable. . . . This is the best feeling in the world."

The clock wound down, and the Villa Maria bench charged the field. Polders remained on the sideline, lifting his arms in the air before joining the celebration.

"Everyone dreams of winning a championship in their last game," said Miller, a senior. "We wanted to bring a state championship back to Villa. . . . We couldn't have asked for anything better."

Villa Maria 0 2 - 2

Crestwood 0 1 - 1

Goals: VM-Megan Vermeil, Abby Siana; C-Hunter Pitman.

Saves: VM-Erika Miller 6; C-Dallas Kendra 8