(Chelsea Update would like to thank Chelsea Field Hockey for the information in this story and Chris Hilgendorf for the photos.)
Chelsea Field Hockey’s Cinderella story bid for a State Championship ended with a penalty corner goal by Ann Arbor Skyline with zero time remaining in regulation.
Chelsea’s “Fab Five” defense, consisting of Kendra Patterson, Nina Faupel, Ava Woodard, Stella Moore and Megan Vogel, kept the team in the game for the exciting battle on its home pitch at Chelsea High School’s Jerry Niehaus Stadium on Oct. 26.
Goalkeeper Faupel had nine saves in the net.
Skyline got on the board in the first half. With roughly two minutes left in regulation play, Chelsea’s Maddie Vogel tipped in a drive from Kendra Patterson during a penalty corner to tie up the game. Skyline secured a penalty corner shot, as the remaining seconds of the half wound down. The corner shot was saved by Faupel, but Skyline capitalized on the deflection, tipping their second attempt into the goal.
Chelsea’s young team of six juniors and 13 sophomores and freshmen rallied during the State Tournament, playing their best hockey of the season in tough, physical competitions.
Chelsea was seeded 11th and knocked off sixth-seed Hartland in overtime in Round 2 of the tournament, third-seed St. Catherine in the quarterfinals and seventh-seed Cranbrook-Kingswood in the semifinals.
Grace Lane led the team with four penalty corner goals. Makayla Kegerreis knocked in the second goal of the semifinals as a reverse chip in the top corner of the cage to help loft the team into the State Finals.
Team 15 earned the Division 2 State Championship Runner Up trophy. This is only the second time in the team’s 15-year history to compete in the State Championship.
Overall, the team record for the season was 9-10-1, with the team earning five wins with one loss in October.
