MIFFLINTOWN - Juniata didn't end the season with a winning record.
But the Indians' field hockey win over Belleville Mennonite Monday might as well have been a record.
Juniata got an overtime goal from Lizzie McClure to squeeze by the Trojans, 3-2, and finish their season with a 6-12 overall record. By comparison, the seniors who graduate in the class of 2012 won only five games in their careers - and then only if they were on the team all four years.
Becky Loy, who was Juniata's sixth coach in as many years, said of the result, "I know they probably don't know what they accomplished. They finally got excited when they won today.
"It was very challenging but I thought they grew as a team."
The game was thrown into the 7-on-7 sudden victory period when Belleville Mennonite's Meredith Spicher got in front of Juniata goalie Katie McLaughlin with 6:41 to play and put away the equalizer. McLaughlin was filling in for Katie Searer, who wanted some field time in her final game, Loy said - and both ended up with assists for the offense.
But in the extra period, it took only 23 seconds for Juniata's McClure to put away the game winner.
"We didn't really mark up in the circle," Belleville Mennonite coach Glenna Young said. "They had possession and boom, they went."
The Trojans (2-13) are scheduled to host Forbes Road today.
Girls soccer
Juniata 4, Penns Valley 1
MIFFLINTOWN - Lauren Baublitz scored a pair of second-half goals, helping to push Juniata past Penns Valley, 4-1, in a non-league girls soccer game Monday.
It was the regular-season finale for the Indians (12-5-1), who head into the District 6 Class AA tournament as the No. 7 seed. Juniata - boys and girls - open at Bellefonte Thursday; the girls play at 5:30 p.m.
Against the Rams, Juniata scored first but allowed one late to create a tie at the half. Three goals after the break sealed it for Juniata.
"We really possessed well, which we haven't been doing of late. We seem to be playing very well from the 50 to the 18," Juniata coach Brian Strawser said, but not inside the 18.
"We played at a pace that seems to suit us," he said.
Penns Valley won the JV game, 3-0.
