LEWISBURG - If there is any consolation in Line Mountain's 3-2 overtime loss to Selinsgrove in the District 4 Class AA field hockey championship game Thursday at Bucknell University, it's that the Eagles live to play another day.
But that doesn't remove the sting.
Line Mountain, making its first appearance in the title game in 12 seasons, had the seven-time
defending champion Seals on the ropes.
Twice.
With Olivia Poltonavage, the Eagles' designated sniper in penalty stroke situations, connecting twice in two opportunities, the Eagles held leads of 1-0 at the half and 2-1 inside the final 10 minutes of regulation.
They just couldn't make those leads stick against a Selinsgrove team that dominated the action for long periods of time and held advantages of 14-6 in shots on goal and 15-6 in penalty corners.
"We fought hard to get here," said Line Mountain coach Jill Martz-Yisrael. "And we went into overtime with them.
"A lot of these games (district title games) have been blowouts. And this was our first time here in 12 years."
Line Mountain will now open PIAA state play Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at Whitehall High School in the Lehigh Valley against Moravian Academy, the runner-up from District 11.
Selinsgrove, with its eighth consecutive District 4 championship secured, will meet the District 1 runner-up on Tuesday at Bucknell.
Despite a first half played mostly in their defensive end, the Eagles tallied the only goal when Poltonavage beat Seals' goalie Courtney McCartney with a penalty stroke in the 16th minute.
The opportunity came about when Sarah Lahr was fouled in front of the cage as she worked for a shot.
That lead held up until Selinsgrove's Mackenna Mahan scored off an assist from Jenna Kapsar in the fifth minute of the second half.
About 12 minutes later, Poltonavage, again inserted into the lineup to take a penalty stroke, beat McCartney for the second time to give the Eagles a 2-1 edge.
"She's our DH on strokes," Martz-Yisrael said. "We've practiced strokes since the first day of preseason, and she's money.
"She has nerves of steel and she's a competitor."
The Seals' Geneka Mahan scored the goal that ultimately sent the game into overtime with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation.
Then, during the 7-on-7, 15-minute overtime period, Selinsgrove, with Line Mountain one player down due to a yellow card, got the game-winner from Emily Klingler.
It was created off the Seals' 15th and final penalty corner opportunity.
"You can't mark everybody and there is a lot more space," Martz-Yisrael said of the Seals' extra-player opportunity during the 7-on-7 period.
Selinsgrove 0 2 1 - 3
Line Mountain 1 1 0 - 0
LM - Olivia Poltonavage (Penalty Stroke) 15:39
S - Mackenna Mahan (Jenna Kapsar) 34:35
LM - Olivia Poltonavage (Penalty Stroke) 47:10
S - Geneka Mahan (M. Mahon) 51:24
S - Emily Klingler 73:23
Shots on goal: Selinsgrove 14, Line Mountain 6; Penalty Corners: Selinsgrove 15, Line Mountain 6; Keeper/Saves: Selinsgrove 4, Line Mountain (Colleen Troutman) 11.