Smyrna hockey defeats Cape 3-2 in battle of unbeaten teams 

The highly anticipated Smyrna at Cape field hockey game was delayed 90 minutes Sept. 25 as thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. 

With her own lightning strike at 6:10 of overtime, Northwestern-bound Bree Moffett, aka Bam, delivered a 3-2 Eagles victory and a clear path to the No. 1 seed in the postseason DIAA tournament. The Vikings are likely to be waiting for them in the finals, as the two programs have met in the last four D1 state championship games. 

The Vikings scored the only goal of the first half as Teagan Baker, who had the winning goal in the 2024 state championship, converted on an unsettled corner with 3:48 left in the half.

Shots for the game were 7-6 in favor of Smyrna, while the Vikings had an 8-5 advantage in penalty corners, which translates into evenly matched teams and not much room to run. 

Smyrna scored off a corner at 3:51 left in the third quarter with a goal by freshman Presley Bebout on an assist from Bree Moffett, knotting the score at 1.

Cape took the lead in the fourth quarter with 3:50 left to play on a rainbow high and hard shot by Saint Joe’s commit Atia Sabbagh off an assist from injector Grace Heers. 

Smyrna did not blink or retreat, and the team drew a corner with 2:16 left to play.

Alexis Hutchison converted, tying the score at 2. The game went to overtime, which is a 10-minute, 7-on-7, sudden-death open space runners’ game.

Bree Moffett ended up with the ball on her stick inside the circle. Bree was not running free but busted loose, bracketed by Cape’s Avary Miller and Atia Sabbagh. Her one-time thunderous goal  at 6:10 of overtime brought the house down as Smyrna stormed the field in a conniption celebration.

Corner quips - Cape beat Smyrna in the JV game 2-0 on goals by Natalie Areneau from Hazel Mancari and Ella Levy from Emmilyn Swope. Alexis Puddicombe got the shutout in goal. Smyrna goalie Kylie Hill-Shaner recorded 12 saves. “It was the best total team game we’ve played this season,” said Cape assistant coach Jenna Burkhart.

Smyrna’s next opponent is Episcopal Academy of Pa., while Cape has three consecutive away games at Polytech (4-3), Indian River (6-1) and Sussex Academy (3-3).