By: Joe Cicchino - Sports Information Assistant

FORT WASHINGTON -- With 40 seconds left in the game, Charlotte Rapp '19 intercepted a pass intended for a Springside Chestnut Hill Academy player and took off down the field. Olivia Doody '19 and Maddie Burns '20 both had chances to score for the Patriots, but could not find the back of the net. With five seconds to go, GA put the ball back in play, but were unable to get a shot off and fell to the Blue Devils, 9-8.

"I thought we were going to score," Head Coach Mary Dean said. "I had a lot of nerves, I thought I was on the field myself. I had confidence in the girls and I was hoping we could pull out overtime in the end."

The Patriots started the game off with a goal from Doody, only to see SCHA answer with three goals of their own. This scoring run prompted Dean to call a timeout. She said she told her team that they were losing the game because they were not being scrappy enough. The stoppage must have lit a fire under the team, who rattled off two goals to tie the game at three. At halftime the Patriots trailed 6-5. 

The Blue Devils tallied another goal in the beginning of the second half, but GA had an answer. The Patriots netted two straight goals and tied the game at seven with 8:28 to go in the half. However, that stalemate would only last about a minute, as SCHA would add another. 

GA scored once more with 5:42 in the game, when Doody's initial shot was saved, but not handled cleanly by the goalie. The ball trickled into the net, but tied things at eight. That is, until the Blue Devils scored with 1:24 remaining. SCHA won the ensuing draw, and started to run out the clock. 

While they were not successful in that endeavor, they did drain enough time to make GA's last push ineffective. Despite the loss, Dean said that the team showed plenty of heart. 

"I think [the game] says a lot about them as a team," Dean said. "They played with a lot of grit and a lot of heart today. It sucks to lose, especially against an opponent like them, but I'm really proud of how they played." 

The game against Springside Chestnut Hill was the latest in a string of Inter-Ac League games for the Patriots. While this game against the Blue Devils did not go in the Patriots' favor, Dean is ready for the next matchup. 

"We have really tough competition," Dean said. "I knew today would come down to the last call, so I'm looking forward to getting them again."

The Patriots will be back on the field on April 24 against Princeton Day School. That game takes place at Princeton Day School at 4:00 p.m.