As Roland Park repeatedly threatened in the game's final seconds, Garrison Forest coach Micul Ann Morse stood near midfield, her hands cradling her face. When the Grizzlies cleared the ball one final time with eight seconds left, Morse threw her head back and broke into a big grin.
"The whole fall has been a grand experience," said Morse. "This season has been a sort of storybook season for me."
No. 8 Garrison Forest now can try for a storybook finish. Lauren Klein scored a key game-tying goal in the final minute of the first half, and Courtney Austin got the game-winner with 7:38 left to give the host team a 2-1 victory over No. 9 Roland Park in an Association of Independent Schools A Division semifinal yesterday.
Garrison Forest (10-0-3) advanced to the championship game tomorrow at noon at St. Paul's against Bryn Mawr. The Mawrtians, who lost to the Grizzlies in their only meeting this season, defeated Severn in yesterday's other semifinal.
Garrison Forest and Morse won championships in 1984, 1986 and 1988, and the coach said she'd love for this team to win another one.
"This is a really special group of kids," said Morse. "They've just done so much so well. They just never give up."
Roland Park (10-3-2), which had won or shared in the previous five championships, played aggressively on offense early. The Reds spent much of the first half in Garrison Forest territory, often in the circle.
But the Garrison Forest defense -- led by Courtney and Lindsey Foster, along with Maggie Reed, Tina Schroeter, Liza Shaw and Katie Willett -- tightened inside the circle. The defense, which has allowed only three goals this season, swarmed to the ball and rarely gave the Reds a clear shot.
Roland Park took the lead when Jen Murray scored on a penalty stroke with 5:41 left in the half. Garrison Forest also was awarded a penalty stroke with 1:10 left, but Roland Park goalie Meredith Shuey stopped Missy Hopkins.
That appeared to give Roland Park the momentum, but Klein quickly turned the game around for Garrison Forest when she scored with 24 seconds left in the half. The junior forward sparked the Grizzlies when she knocked in a shot that bounced off the right post.
"I think that was the thing that got us psyched," said Klein. "After that, we knew we could win the game."
Austin gave the Grizzlies the victory with her late goal. Cantey Boyd started the play by sending the ball in from the right, and Hopkins tipped it into the air. The ball then came to Austin near the left post, and she batted it in for the winning goal.
Roland Park coach Debbie Bloodsworth agreed this game turned on the Klein goal.
"That goal was rather deflating," said Bloodsworth. "[The Reds] thought they had it. They thought it was safe time. They didn't let up, the goal was just deflating."
* Seton Keough 1, John Carroll 0, 2OT: Katie Sparks and Valeria Skarbek each scored a goal as Seton Keough won a shootout, 2-0, after a scoreless regulation and two scoreless overtimes in an AIS B Division semifinal game.
* Glenelg Country School 2, Oldfields 1, OT: Allison Hoke scored with eight seconds remaining in overtime to lead top-seeded Glenelg Country School over Oldfields (2-9-2) in an AIS B Division tournament semifinal. The Dragons (11-2-1) will make their first appearance in an AIS championship game.