Spalding's All-Metro junior midfielder Christine Nairn has long had a knack for finding a corner of the goal and her shots can come from just about anywhere in the offensive third of the field.
With defending Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference champion John Carroll visiting yesterday in a rematch of last year's girls soccer title game, Nairn twice found corners, and her second goal in the 64th minute helped the No. 1 Cavaliers earn a 2-2 tie against the No. 5 Patriots.
Spalding (12-0-1) improved to 5-0-1 in the conference, while John Carroll (10-2-1) fell to 5-1-1.
While strong and steady play from Spalding junior goalkeeper Karen Blocker (nine saves) kept the continually pressing Patriots from scoring in the first half, Nairn was able to make good on a chance with limited time and space. She collected a short square pass from sophomore Erica Page and from 20 yards let loose a shot that quickly found the left corner.
After John Carroll tied the score in the opening minute of the second half - junior Grace Gaeng scored from 10 yards after nifty work along the left side - and took the lead on a bad-bounce goal by Brittany Dashiell from 20 yards in the 62nd minute, Nairn went back to work with a free kick from 30 yards.
She found the top right corner for her 10th goal of the season.
"Christine is going to bring excitement to the team - she's going to make the routine play and she's also going to do the extraordinary," Spalding coach Bob Dieterle said. "Every game, she makes plays that you're just like `Wow, did I really see that.'"
The Cavaliers pressed in the 20 minutes of overtime, but were unable to finish off chances to keep their record unblemished. Last season, they were undefeated and untied in the conference before losing the title game to the Patriots in penalty kicks.
As for the Patriots, who got a fine all-around team effort with Gaeng, senior midfielder Melissa Gomes and senior sweeper Jessica Hnatiuk standing out, they left with a tie and validation.
"We didn't know where we fit in as far as the league, and I think today we know that we are still back where we belong," John Carroll coach Gary Lynch said. "These kids really played hard."
Field hockey
Caroline Markowitz scored the game-winning goal in overtime as No. 4 Garrison Forest nipped No. 6 Bryn Mawr, 2-1, to remain unbeaten in Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference play.
