Twenty-seven players converged into one pile in front of the goal, with smiles stretched across faces, arms raised in triumph and high-pitched screams echoing deep into the Finksburg air.

This wasn't just a celebration for Archbishop Spalding. It was a release.

The Cavaliers completed a three-month stretch of defending the targets on their backs by blending consistent work and overpowering skill to translate into a near-perfect season and a second consecutive Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference soccer championship.

"We earned it," Cavaliers coach Bob Dieterle said.

Archbishop Spalding (20-0-1), which recorded the program's first 20-win season with a 2-0 victory over Mercy in Sunday's final, found itself ranked fourth in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

It's not hard to see why.

Whether on defense or offense, the Cavaliers almost always came out one - if not more - step ahead of the opposition and were a 0-0 tie with Good Counsel away from being, presumably, the top team in the country.

"I feel like we all are amazing, and we all know how to play together," said Courtney Hoyes, who scored four of her 16 goals during the first two postseason games. "There's going to be times where some of us make mistakes, but as a team, we play well."

Spalding routinely silenced those staring back, while pulling away in a fluid motion. Eighteen Cavaliers scored - the last was two-game veteran Mo Ostrowski late in the final - to form a balanced attack that outscored the opposition, 77-6.

Maggie Morrison, the author of a title-clinching bender past Mercy's Rachel Bourne, collected team-highs with 18 goals and 10 assists, and she paired with Hoyes to dismantle the opposing defenses - especially during the postseason.

The two scored twice against St. Mary's in the opener, and Hoyes saved the Cavaliers with a goal six seconds away from elimination against John Carroll and again in the second overtime.

"Every game, me and Courtney come in and say, 'Come on. Let's go. Let's play. Whatever happens, happens,'" said Morrison, who fed Hoyes on the game-winner in the 97th minute. "We're very supportive, so whoever can put one in puts one it, and we're all happy."

Morrison and Hoyes - who each delivered six game-winners - turned out to be a winning combination for a team that, for the first time in five years, lacked an offensive player who struck instant fear in a defense.

"We don't have a Christine Nairn or an Erica Paige anymore," said Olivia Tomoff, one of four returning players who formed a near-impenetrable defensive unit. "Courtney and Maggie really stepped up and got us goals; same with our outside midfielders and center midfielders. … We were a lot more team-oriented because we didn't have that one person to look up to to give us the win."

They still got the wins, though, largely because of that back unit.

Jocelyn McCoy, who's doing her best to usurp Karen Blocker's place as the program's best goalkeeper, recorded 16 shutouts. It hasn't been easy, but it certainly could have been more challenging. Thanks to the other 10 players on the field, McCoy didn't even field a shot from Mercy.

With Tomoff, Kirsten Frank, Dani Beard and Michelle Boivin patrolling the back, McCoy stopped 69 of the 73 shots on goal and let one through - on average - once every 397 minutes, 29 seconds.

"I'm sure Jocelyn would say we make her job easier, but it's definitely the goalie, too," Frank said. "Jocelyn, especially this year, really stepped it up."

With that schedule, the entire team needed to elevate its game.

Archbishop Spalding, with top billing during a two-week stretch in September, played and beat McDonogh (13-2) - ranked as high as seventh in the nation - Notre Dame Prep (11-3-1), Mercy (12-5-3) and John Carroll (12-6-2) twice just in its own conference.

Add in games against Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champion Good Counsel (14-2-5) and public schools Severna Park (13-3), 15-1 prior to forfeiting two games, South River (14-2) and perennial contenders Glenelg and Eastern Tech - with seven state titles and 11 finals appearances since 1997 between them - and it's easy to comprehend that emotional release.

"It's tough to win from beginning to end because everyone's coming to get you," said Dieterle, who calls this team the best he's coached in eight seasons. "You're going to get everyone's best game. Over the season, it's hard to keep everyone at that level."

Even so, Archbishop Spalding was able to maintain. The Cavaliers were pressed into overtime on four occasions, and each time, they walked off the field coated in victory.

Had Hoyes' late shot against Good Counsel not hit the left post, a No. 1 ranking would be an afterthought.

"This team has been so good this year," said McCoy, owner of 30 shutouts in two years as a starter. "We have so many good players. … When we play, we're all pumped up and focused, and that helps us win."

What began with a preseason retreat to Deep Creek Lake ended in a championship-sized celebration at Gerstell Academy - exactly how it was scripted.

"We're all just really comfortable with each other from practice and Deep Creek and years of playing with each other," Frank said. "When you're comfortable with someone, you just have more confidence and everyone meshes better."

Maggie Morrison didn't have a set plan. She was just tired of failing.

Morrison overcame first-half struggles in front of Mercy's airtight defense and blasted a game-winning goal early in the second to pace Archbishop Spalding to a 2-0 victory and a third Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference crown in four years.

"I just kind of take the ball and go," Morrison said. "If it goes in, great. If it doesn't, I'm going to work 10 times harder to put it in the net."

She proved it in the 42nd minute.

After the Magic's defense survived a consistent barrage of first-half penetration, Morrison took a pass from Annie Hogan on the left side and dribbled to the corner of the 18. Morrison cut through two defenders and drove a 20-yard shot past goalkeeper Rachel Bourne into the far side to break a scoreless tie and give the Cavaliers (20-0-1) their first 20-win season in program history.

"When she did that, we knew we were going to win," Archbishop Spalding coach Bob Dieterle said.

Mo Ostrowski added insurance with her first varsity goal with 8:10 left, and the Cavaliers' midfield and defense held Mercy (12-5-3) quiet.

Mercy took just a second-half shot, and Jocelyn McCoy didn't make a save in her 16th shutout.

"We try and make her look good, so she doesn't have to do much work," said Cavaliers defender Olivia Tomoff, whose 30-yard shot in the 31st minute hit the crossbar.

Morrison's goal ended Mercy's improbable run through the postseason. Ranked seventh, the Magic knocked off No. 2 McDonogh, 1-0, and No. 3 Notre Dame Prep in penalty kicks to clinch a finals berth.

Mercy fought off five corner kicks and eight shots during the opening half, but Morrison capitalized on the Cavaliers' first take in the second.

"We weren't coming here to play for a tie or anything like that," Magic coach Albert Oni said. "We came here to win, and we truly believed we could win. … Spalding, at one point ranked the No. 1 team in the nation, scored a No. 1-type goal."

Archbishop Spalding, which allowed six goals in 21 games, didn't let Mercy seriously threaten. The Magic put together a short run inside with 29 minutes left, but Dani Beard quelled it with two stops in a five-second span.

Jordan Stenger played a deep pass inside to Alexis Prior-Brown, and Beard deflected her potential feed to the goal box. The ball kicked back to Alex Pryor, and Beard blocked her 12-yard shot.

"The game's not over until the last whistle, and we just kept playing like it was 0-0," said Courtney Hoyes, who scored four goals in the Cavaliers' postseason, including both in a double-overtime, semifinal victory against John Carroll.

Hoyes nearly added a fifth with 19:15 to play.

Morrison cut through the left side of the 18 and directed a pass back to Hoyes in the middle. Hoyes' shot deflected off Mercy's Emily Borkowski and rolled to the net, and Samantha DeRoose came off the goal line for the clear.

"I saw Rachel Bourne go off to the side, and I covered for her," DeRoose said. "I saw the ball and cleared it out as soon as possible."

Ostrowski got it back 11 minutes later when she booted a left-footed cross into the net's upper-right corner to make it 2-0.

A freshman, Ostrowski was the junior-varsity team's leading scorer and earned a promotion when the playoffs began.

"It just happened," said Ostrowski, who entered when Teresa Doyle left with an injury in the 45th minute. "I was there at the right moment."

The Cavaliers, who won titles in 2006 and 2008, could have had more if not for Mercy's defense. They failed to convert on three corners in the first 8:40.

Bourne blocked Hoyes' close shot with 31:50 left in the half, and she made a diving save on Tomoff's 25-yarder on the left post three minutes later.

"Our girls tried the best they could," Oni said. "It just wasn't enough to pull the win out."

Hoyes took a low feed on the left from Morrison in the 14th minute and faked past two defenders near the end line. She turned back toward the goal, but sailed her shot wide.

Morrison laid a spin move on the Magic in the 26th, only to drive a shot over the crossbar.

Morrison made up for it, though.

"Usually, the games that are close, we come off (the field) and step it up a notch and take it to the next level," Morrison said. "We definitely did that coming out in the second half. We had the momentum, and we took it."

Mercy (12-5-3) 0 0 - 0

Arch. Spalding (20-0-1) 0 2 - 2

GOALS: AS - Morrison, Ostrowski. ASSISTS: AS - Hogan. SAVES: ME - Bourne 4; AS - McCoy 0. SHOTS: ME - 1; AS - 11. CORNERS: ME - 0; AS - 7.

The Archbishop Spalding girls soccer team found themselves in unfamiliar territory for 76 minutes yesterday. For the first time in 19 games, the Cavaliers were losing.

The senior didn't want her season to end, so she knocked in a header with six seconds left in regulation and pushed through another goal with 3:03 left in overtime to send Archbishop Spalding into the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference final with a 2-1 victory.

On the tying goal, Hoyes took a pass served in from the left side by Teresa Boyle and beat John Carroll keeper Gina Maiorana inside the far post. Hoyes took a through pass from the right side from Maggie Morrison in overtime and put her foot on it before depositing it by a sprawled-out Maiorana as bedlam erupted on the Cavaliers' sideline.

"We kept the momentum up and didn't let it go," said Hoyes, who tallied her 15th and 16th goals. "I knew Maggie could do it. Me and her work incredibly together. I was just there a put it in."

The top-seeded Cavaliers will face No. 7 Mercy at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Gerstell Academy for the conference championship.

After a foul was called on the edge of the 18-yard box in the third minute, Mel Lookingland booted a penalty kick past Jocelyn McCoy to give John Carroll (11-6-2) a 1-0 lead.

Once the Cavaliers got behind, they dialed up the pressure, outshooting the Patriots,15-3, in regulation while hitting two crossbars. John Carroll seemed content with just trying to clear their zone, while keeping three or four players glued to Morrison, who has accumulated 17 goals this season.

"They were triple-teaming Maggie all day," Cavaliers coach Bob Dieterle. "We knew that was coming, and what we were trying to do was mix it up. That was one of the reasons we were able to get that ball across to Courtney - because they had so many people flooded over to Maggie's side."

With the Cavaliers' intense offensive pressure and the attention paid to Morrison and Hoyes, chances were plentiful. Morrison managed to clank the crossbar in the eighth minute, while Vickie Connor did the same midway through the second half.

"We had a lot of good opportunities, but it was one of those that, frankly, I was concerned that it was going to be one of those days," Dieterle said. "Our team played really well. They had minimal amount of shots, but nothing dangerous."

The Cavaliers need just one more victory to net 20 and bring back a title for the second consecutive season and third time in four years.

John Carroll (11-6-2) 1 0 0 0 - 1

Spalding (19-0-1) 0 1 0 1 - 2

GOALS: JC - Lookingland; AS - Hoyes 2. ASSISTS: AS - Boyle, Morrison. SAVES: JC - Maiorana 8; AS - McCoy 3. SHOTS: JC - 5; AS - 18. CORNERS: JC - 2; AS - 6.

There are two big reasons why Archbishop Spalding girls soccer is a nationally ranked contender: Maggie Morrison and Courtney Hoyes.

Morrison and Hoyes combined for three goals and an assist as the host Cavaliers defeated St. Marys, 4-0, in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference quarterfinals yesterday.

"(Morrison and Hoyes) have been really special for us this season," Cavaliers coach Bob Dieterle said. "They work together really well."

Hoyes, who scored off of a header and made an assist, has 14.

"We all work really well with each other," Hoyes said.

Morrison, who scored twice, has a team-high 17 goals.

"We are pretty inseparable, even outside of school and soccer," Morrison said.

The Cavaliers' chemistry was on display against the Saints as Archbishop Spalding (18-0-1) controlled possession and the game from the outset. The Cavaliers' midfield and defense allowed just three shots on goalkeeper Jocelyn McCoy, who notched her 15th shutout.

Morrison's first goal came less than eight minutes into the game. She found a lane on the left side of the goal and crossed with her left foot into the back right corner of the net.

Despite being outmatched, the Saints' defense performed well for most of the first half. Only five of Archbishop Spalding's 15 shots came in the first half.

Goalkeeper Lizzie Roeble made several leaping and diving saves to keep her team in the game, and her twin, Allie Roeble, was effective at keeping the pressure low.

However, the Cavaliers struck again with just four minutes left before the break as Vickie Connor kicked a perfect feed to Hoyes in front of the net for a header.

"I just hit it," Hoyes said. "I didn't know where it was going, honestly."

Things only got worse for the Saints after intermission.

Stephanie Smith added to the lead less than three minutes into the second half, scoring on an assist from Hoyes.

For the next few minutes, the Saints (4-13) finally started to reach the Cavaliers' back line. It was too late.

Morrison closed the scoring when she intercepted a pass in front of the Saints' goal, pulled the ball back to avoid a defender and pounded the ball into the top right corner of the net.

"We knew we had to play our best game to beat them," Saints coach Meredith Beard said. "They're a great team."

The Cavaliers advance to the IAAM A Conference semifinals at home tomorrow at 3:45 p.m. They'll face No. 4 John Carroll.

"You've got to continue to build," Dieterle said. "I think the girls are getting more and more excited."

St. Mary's (4-13) 0 0 - 0

Archbishop Spalding (18-0-1) 2 2 - 2

GOALS: AS Morrison 2, Hoyes, Smith. ASSISTS: AS Hoyes, Connor, VanOrder. SAVES: SM - Roeble 10; AS - McCoy 3. SHOTS: SM - 3; AS - 15. CORNERS: SM - 1; AS - 7.

Sarah Backoff, Courtney Hoyes and Annie Hogan tallied goals in Archbishop Spalding's 3-0 victory over Mount de Sales yesterday. The Cavaliers will attempt to go through their conference schedule undefeated for only the second time in program history tonight against Pallotti.

The Cavaliers (16-0-1) finished unbeaten in 2005.

Maggie Morrison, Olivia Tomoff and Emily Brybon assisted on the Archbishop Spalding's goals.

Mount de Sales (6-6-2) 0 0 - 0

Archbishop Spalding (16-0-1) 1 2 - 0

GOALS: AS - Backoff, Hoyes, Hogan. ASSISTS: AS - Morrison, Tomoff, Brybon. SAVES: MDS - Weadon 6; AS - McCoy 0, Bielski 0. SHOTS: MDS - 0; AS - 21. CORNERS: MDS - 0; AS - 13

Cavs top John Carroll

for 12th win of season

BEL AIR - Continuing its quest for an undefeated season, top-ranked Archbishop Spalding continued its winning ways by beating John Carroll, 2-0, in girls soccer yesterday.

Maggie Morrison's 12-yard blast broke the scoreless tie in the 19th minute. Morrison added another goal in the second half, off a laser shot into the top right corner.

The two goals were all the Cavaliers (12-0-1) needed.

"Our defense kept winning the balls and getting them to me in good position," Morrison said. "I knew if I kept working hard and plugging away, I was going to get a goal or two."

Courtney Hoyes, the Cavaliers' other striker, hit the crossbar 10 minutes into the second half and created many chances. Hoyes and Morrison discussed creating havoc for the Patriots' defense.

"Courtney and I have been playing together for four years, and we know where each other is on the field at all times," Morrison said. "She has been scoring a lot recently and was a big part of the offense today."

The Cavaliers did not have an easy time beating the Patriots (7-3-2), and coach Bob Dieterle expected nothing less.

"John Carroll has had a tremendous program for a long time," he said. "We knew it would be a tough test to come to their field and come out with a win. They gave us a great game, and we had to play well to win."

The Cavaliers' defense limited the Patriots to very few quality offensive chances. It was the fast, experienced Cavaliers backline that had Dieterle raving.

"Our defense won the game for us today, and I told them that," Dieterle said. "John Carroll strung a few passes together in the midfield, but our defense stepped up anytime they got close to the box."

Patriots coach Gary Lynch attributed the Cavaliers' backfield prowess as the difference

"They are experienced, talented and fast in the back, and we are inexperienced up top," he said. "Their defense made it difficult for us to get great chances."

With an undefeated season and championship dreams still intact, the biggest obstacle remaining for the Cavaliers might be themselves.

"Obviously, we weren't going to overlook John Carroll," Dieterle said. "But remaining focused solely on our opponent is sometimes a challenge. Our girls always remain loose, they don't panic and have confidence in their games. In the end, they believe their game won't let them down."

Archbishop Spalding (12-0-1) 1 1 - 2

John Carroll (7-3-2) 0 0 - 0

GOALS: AS - Morrison 2. ASSISTS: AS - Hogan, Braynt. SAVES: AS - McCoy 8; JC - Maiorana 7. SHOTS: AS - 13; JC - 7. CORNERS: AS - 2; JC - 4.

With its biggest match looming, it would have been easy to understand if the top-ranked Archbishop Spalding girls soccer team had more of an eye to the future than on yesterday's opponent, Notre Dame Prep.

That wasn't the case, however, as the Cavaliers struck in the first four minutes and never stopped applying pressure en route to a 5-0 victory over the Blazers. Archbishop Spalding (9-0) is 3-0 in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference heading into tomorrow's championship rematch with McDonogh.

"We had a really good practice (Tuesday), and we came out of feeling we were really ready for this game," said coach Bob Dieterle, whose Cavaliers earned a 2-0 win over McDonogh in last year's final. "We were talking about not looking ahead. NDP's a quality team. They came out the same way that we practiced. We jumped out to a pretty good lead with a lot of pressure."

Stephanie Smith knocked in her third goal of the season with four minutes elapsed, beating two defenders to reach the penalty area before flipping a left-footed shot over the head of Blazers goalkeeper Shelby Perkins for a 1-0 lead.

About 10 minutes later, Teresa Doyle pushed Archbishop Spalding's advantage to 2-0, slipping a groundball shot into the goal after dribbling around her defender. Then, with less five minutes left in the first half, Ariel Dominguez knocked in the first of her three goals following a beautiful cross by Smith. Dominguez outworked a defender for the ball and then kicked it in while Perkins tried to recover from missing the cross.

"I'm really pumped for that game (against McDonogh)," Smith said. "Basically, it's the game of the year. (But) we take our games one at a time. Like our coach says: 'Don't worry about McDonogh now. Get past NDP and then right after this game, put it all toward McDonogh, and we'll come out with a win.' "

Archbishop Spalding had some near-misses throughout most of the second half before Dominguez dropped in a pair of goals on passes from Jackie Kane in the final five minutes.

"It was good practice, and it's giving us confidence and for sure our subs are getting confident, too, and we're all getting ready for the game (with McDonogh)," Dominguez said. "Playing the ball out wide is really good for us. We really spread the ball out."

The Cavaliers were equally impressive on defense, allowing just a pair of long-range shots by Notre Dame Prep, which struggled to keep possession of the ball in its offensive end.

Nearly every time the Blazers crossed midfield, Archbishop Spalding's defensive core of Olivia Tomoff, Kirsten Frank, Dani Beard and Gracyn Bryant simply took the ball away or intercepted a pass and moved the ball back the other way.

Spalding is ranked No. 3 in the ESPN national poll, while McDonogh checked in at No. 5.

Notre Dame Prep (3-2-1) 0 0 - 0

Archbishop Spalding (9-0) 3 2 - 5

GOALS: AS - Dominguez 3, Smith, Doyle. ASSISTS: AS - Kane 2, VanOrder, Backof, Smith. SHOTS: NDP - 2. AS - 20. SAVES: NDP - Perkins 3, Scheel 4. AS - McCoy 2, Bielski. CORNER KICKS: NDP - 0. AS - 6.

This one was for Gabby Espinosa.

Inspired by the sight of her injured teammate taken from the field, Maggie Morrison made up for a squandered lead and gave Archbishop Spalding's girls soccer team its second overtime victory in as many games by clipping Eastern Tech, 3-2, last night.

Morrison stood alongside Courtney Hoyes on the sideline, while Espinosa lay on her back for 27 minutes after a collision with Eastern Tech's Paige Yeager. Both players hit the ground with 2 minutes, 14 second left in regulation. While Yeager limped off the field, Espinosa left on a stretcher about 25 minutes later and was taken by ambulance to an area hospital.

"She took a hard one," said Morrison, who gave the Cavaliers (3-0) a 2-0 lead in the 48th minute before ending the game off a corner kick 2:24 into in overtime. "The crack and her screaming gave me the chills."

Espinosa is believed to have suffered a broken tibia, Archbishop Spalding coach Bob Dieterle said.

A half-hour after the Cavaliers gave away a two-goal lead in a 79-second span over the 75th and 76th minutes, Espinosa's teammates gathered in a circle prior to overtime and chanted, "One, two, three, Gabby."

Teresa Doyle played a pass off a corner kick into the goal box on the Cavaliers' first clear chance in overtime. Hoyes delivered a short header to Morrison, who drove a shot into the left side of the net.

After his team coasted to a 2-0 lead through the first 75 minutes, Dieterle pulled most of his starters, and the Mavericks (0-1) took advantage.

Kelsey Ports sent a 40-yard free kick over backup goalkeeper Bridget Bielski's left shoulder to close the gap with 4:23 left, and Allison Williams transformed a turnover above the Cavaliers' 18-yard box into a goal to make it 2-2.

"It was a perfect set-up," Williams said. "I just hit it off my knees, and I hit it and hoped, and it went in."

Ports' goal ended Archbishop Spalding's scoreless streak at 11 games.

"We were just hoping to get one and get a little respect," Eastern Tech coach Kim Williams said. "Then they get two, and it was amazing. It just shows what we have, and this is Game 1."

Jocelyn McCoy, who set a school record during a 1-0 victory over South River Saturday with her 11th consecutive shutout, came back into the game following Williams' score.

Eastern Tech took only three shots on McCoy during her 75 minutes on the field, while Bielski faced two in eight.

"It wasn't good coaching," Dieterle said. "Too many (substitutions) at one time."

Morrison, who scored the final two goals in the opener against Severna Park, provided an encore performance for the Mavericks.

But it almost didn't happen.

Morrison left the field 53 seconds into the game, after landing on a defender's leg and hearing her knee crack, and didn't return in the first half.

Already holding a 1-0 lead because of Stephanie Smith's score in the 12th minute, the Cavaliers got Morrison back in the second half. She didn't wait long to announce her presence.

Hoyes tracked down a loose ball deep in the Mavericks' zone, beating defender Meghan Bengert, and fed Morrison by the goal box. Morrison met the ball in stride and delivered a crossing shot to the left for a 2-0 lead.

Hoyes and Morrison hooked up once more in overtime - with help from Doyle's right foot - to finish what they started.

"Teresa had a beautiful cross, and Courtney stepped right in front of the goalie like we practiced, and I just got a nice head on it," Morrison said. "I was just there to finish. Thank God."

And they did it for Espinosa.

"It was painful," said Cavaliers defender Kirsten Frank, who sat with Espinosa the entire time she was down on the field. "I can't stand seeing people cry. I started to tear up because I hate watching people cry. But everybody's been there before. It hurts really bad now, but in a couple days, when she knows what's wrong, they're going to fix her and give her some pain medicine, and everything's going to be good."

Eastern Tech (0-1) 0 2 0 - 2

Spalding (3-0) 1 1 1 - 3

GOALS: ET - Ports; Williams; AS - Morrison 2; Smith. ASSISTS: AS - Hoyes 2; Brydon, Doyle. SAVES: ET - Willem 3; AS - McCoy 2; Bielski 0. SHOTS: ET - 5; AS - 13. CORNER KICKS: ET - 0; AS - 6.

One mistake was all Courtney Hoyes needed to make a little history.

Hoyes ended nearly 84 minutes of scoreless soccer when she beat a pair of defenders and drilled a game-winner last night to give Archbishop Spalding a 1-0 victory over South River and help Jocelyn McCoy record her 11th consecutive shutout.

"I love her," said McCoy, who passed Karen Blocker for the Cavaliers' all-time mark for consecutive shutouts. "I'm so happy."

Maggie Morrison crossed a lead pass for Hoyes above the right corner of the goal box, and South River goalkeeper Lyndse Hokanson and defender LaRia Rodgers chased it down. As the two collided, Hoyes was able to recover the ball and send it into the middle of the goal with 6 minutes, 7 seconds remaining.

Hokanson made five saves, but she needed one more.

"I knew you can't take her on," Hoyes said. "When she fell, I just got up and did it."

Hoyes was able to do what Morrison couldn't.

A day after scoring twice during a 3-0 victory over Severna Park, Morrison couldn't find a way past Hokanson and the Seahawks' defense. Morrison shot wide nine minutes into the second half, and Hokanson made sliding saves in the 52nd, 65th and 70th minutes.

"My defense played out of their minds," Hokanson said. "They made my job a whole lot easier. All I had to do was return the favor by making a couple saves."

Perhaps Hokanson's biggest save came in the first half. Fifteen minutes into the game, Teresa Doyle took a hard, close shot off a corner kick, and Hokanson leaped through the air to make a save on the right to keep the game scoreless.

"That one was going in," Cavaliers coach Bob Dieterle said. "Those are the two best keepers in the county."

McCoy came out ahead, though.

For the 11th consecutive time, she held the opposition scoreless, passing a record Blocker set two years ago. Blocker, who's playing at Liberty, collected 57 shutouts over four seasons with the Cavaliers - 17 as a senior.

McCoy, who made three saves, got plenty of help from her defense. In addition to keeping South River's attack out of the zone for much of the game, Stephanie Smith and Jackie Kane headed out shots on the left post early in the second half.

"If they weren't there on the post," McCoy said, "they could have had two goals."

Morrison and Smith nearly hooked up for a game-winner on the first play of overtime. As Hokanson came out of the box, Smith's shot went high.

When Hokanson left the box two possessions later, though, Archbishop Spalding (2-0) took advantage.

"If things maybe had gone our way, things might have been different," Seahawks coach John Sis said. "They have some feisty players up top and obviously created the play that won the game."

South River (1-1) 0 0 0 - 0

Spalding (2-0) 0 0 1 - 1

GOALS: AS - Hoyes. ASSISTS: AS - Morrison. SAVES: SR - Hokanson 5; AS - McCoy 3. SHOTS: SR - 5; AS - 9; CORNERS: SR - 2; AS - 3.