Mount de Sales junior forward Julianna Shearer knows how to finish, and that's precisely what she did after Caroline Butler's pass late in the first overtime against Seton Keough at Mount de Sales on Thursday
Her goal with 3:27 left in the overtime gave the Sailors a 1-0 victory in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B Conference semifinals.
"I can't believe that just happened," Shearer said. "I am so in shock right now."
The win advanced the Sailors (15-4-1) to the IAAM championship game, where they will face Maryvale Prep at 4 p.m., Sunday at Goucher College.
The sequence leading to the game-winning goal started in the defensive zone when Sailor junior defender Lauren Hiltz stymied a Seton Keough penalty corner and cleared it with a pass to Amanda Ignacio.
Ignacio traversed up the sideline and dropped off a pass for Shearer, whose drive into the circle set up a penalty corner for senior midfielder Kayley Jones.
Jones passed to Butler, whose first thought was to shoot, but she controlled the ball and fed an unguarded Shearer.
"The original play was to hit it straight to me and I hit it in, but I saw the defense was coming out very fast and I passed it to Julianna and she got it in." Butler said. "It was instinct at that point."
Seton Keough (15-6-1) had the first scoring opportunity in overtime when junior midfielder Anna Stumme's cross to freshman Zoe Smith set up a penalty corner.
But Stumme's pass to Clarra Saunders was eventually disrupted by Hiltz.
It was one of several defensive stands by Hiltz that stopped potential Seton Keough runs in its tracks.
"Our defense rocks," de Sales coach Mary Gentner said. "We've got speed and they are just as capable of scoring as any one of my forwards."
That defense includes Hiltz, Caroline O'Ferral and Courtney Geier and goalie Eve Lukowski.
All three defenders started in the overtime, which features seven players on a side.
Seton Keough also received excellent midfield play from Stumme and standout defense throughout from juniors Emani Byrd, Hannah Tavik and Kathleen Sigwart and goalie Becca Wallace, who faced 12 shots on goal compared to the Sailor keeper Lukowski, who saw six Gator shots.
Wallace was tested in the first minute of the second half by Shearer and she rejected the shot.
With just under 17 minutes left in regulation, the Gators appeared to have a four on two break beyond midfield, but Hiltz stopped a pass and ended the threat.
With under 10 minutes left, Shearer's long run set up Ignacio for a shot that leaked wide.
Just over three minutes later Kelly had three consecutive shots inside the circle that were rejected by Sailor defenders.
With 1:10 remaining Stumme drilled a ball into the circle but Hiltz again sent it out and preserved the tie.
The win reversed an overtime loss in the IAAM semifinals to John Carroll last year for the Sailors.
"It's awesome," Shearer said. "I'm just glad it wasn't our last game."
The Sailors return to the championship game for the first time since 2008, when they lost in overtime to McDonogh.
In the only meeting this season against Maryvale, the Sailors lost at home, 2-0.
Gentner can't wait for the rematch.
"I'm so excited," she said.