Addy Zimmerman is willing to adapt.
With her Warwick field hockey team holding a two-goal lead over Palmyra during Wednesday night's half of the District Three Class 2A semifinal, the senior defensive center midfielder was ready to shift into an all-defensive mode.
Warriors coach Ron Stief had different instructions during the break.
For me, if I'm up by two goals, I want to be further behind, said Zimmerman, an All-American. But he said we couldn't keep possession if we were behind against a team as good as Palmyra.
Zimmerman followed Stief's game plan. In doing so, she made some of the key plays of the second half as Warwick defeated Palmyra 3-1 to earn a place in Saturday's championship match.
The Warriors (20-2) allowed just six shots on goal against the defending champion Cougars (14-5). But it was what Zimmerman did after short-circuiting Palmyra's chances that paved the way to victory.
In the final minute of the third quarter, after Palmyra made it 2-1, Zimmerman cleared the ball in her defensive circle. She zigzagged into the open field and then played the ball upfield. This not only stopped Palmyra from scoring, but also set up an untimed corner at the end of the quarter that resulted in Bree Zoccolo's second goal and a 3–1 lead.
(Zimmerman) came out of the pack with the ball a few times when the game was still a one-goal game, Stief said.
Zimmerman also helped turn back the clock late in the fourth quarter, completing a 40-yard dribble through midfield and playing the ball deep into the right attacking corner. However, that was so late in the match that Stief told her that she had to go completely defensive.
Everyone heard me in Lititz and told her to come back, Stief said. Try to get it in the circle, but back off because she's the best there is on defense.
Zimmerman and her fellow defenders will be looking for a similar result when they meet Northern York in the championship game at Mechanicsburgs Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. Similar, not the same. Zimmermans' standards are high.
It's frustrating for us when they get a goal because the goal is always a shutout, Zimmerman said.
Regardless of the one goal Zimmerman couldn't stop, as it was a penalty shot by AJ Walker, the senior was relieved to reach the district finals for the first time in her career.
We were very excited to make it to the finals, Zimmerman said. We want to give everything we have in the last match, especially because we didn't make it last year. We wanted to go there from the beginning of this year.
Warwick had an unassisted goal from Zoccolo with 11:48 left in the first quarter, and a score from Kenzie Ellis in the second quarter. Taylor Hess assisted with Elliss' count.
Taryn Toburen made four saves for Warwick. Karys Craver, who assisted on Zoccolo's second goal, had a defensive save.
Northern York, which lost to Palmyra in last year's final, defeated Hershey 4-1 in the other semifinal.
