CLARK, NJ- Arthur L. Johnson High School senior Amanda Zambrana got into her position near the front of the net as her team was rewarded with a corner against the Delaware Valley High School Terriers. The team had to work for the one goal, it may not have happened in the first 60 minutes of action, but it paid off in the extra session.
When junior Emma Hilton rocketed a shot on goal, Zambrana deflected it in at 2:33 of the extra session, ending a defensive-themed, overtime battle as the fourth-seeded Crusaders defeated the fifth-seeded Terriers 1-0 in overtime in the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 Quarterfinals Sunday afternoon in Clark.
The contest was Johnson’s fifth game with an overtime period, pulling out three wins (Glen Ridge, Pingry, Delaware Valley) and two ties (West Essex and Millburn).
“It shows we’re an overtime team, we’ve experienced it a lot this year,” Hilton said. “It shows that even the teams are tired at the end of regulation. However, we pushed through and pulled out the win.”
The goal was Zambrana’s sixth of the season, with Hilton getting the lone assist on the game-winner. The teams played once before on September 21, with Delaware Valley winning 2-0 over Johnson, something the Crusaders were hoping to reverse once the matchup was set.
“We knew [Delaware Valley was] a tough game going in, obviously having lost to them earlier on in the season,” Johnson head coach Katrina Poskay said. “We wanted to rectify that because that was a big loss for us early.”
The Johnson Crusaders (13-4-2) advance to the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 Semifinals for the third straight season. They will travel to play at top-seeded Metuchen HS Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.
Full Coverage of Johnson Varsity Field Hockey Overtime Win Over Delaware Valley HS Here
