Then, Pellicane went out and made certain the Crimson would have sole possession of the crown, scoring off a pass from Olivia Tedesco to lift Morristown-Beard to a 2-1 victory over Montclair Kimberley on Sunday, Nov. 6.
"Right before she scored, Lizzy said she didn't want us to be co-champions," Crimson coach Kim Babbitt said. "It was determined before the game that there wasn't going to be a shootout. A co-championship goes against her nature as an athlete and competitor. I guess that's why she took care of it."
For the gamewinner, Pellicane made an impressive and bold move, getting the ball at the top of the circle, driving to the goal, dodging the MKA goalie and putting the ball in.
"That's something we've been working on all year," Babbitt said. "In moments of high pressure, we want our players to be calm and be patient. They've struggled with that last little dodge when it's a one-on-one situation.
"The instinct is to get rid of the ball and take the shot right away. Then the opportunity is missed. Lizzy did exactly what she needed to do."
Morristown-Beard, which claimed its last Prep B title in 2008 when Babbitt was a first-year coach, fell behind, 1-0, when MKA's Jasmine Cole scored off a penalty stroke in the first half.
With 3:50 remaining in the second half, senior center midfielder Maggie McDonagh, the other co-captain, brought the Crimson even, 1-1. McDonagh converted off a scramble on a corner, registering her second goal of the season.
There were many fine efforts on defense for Morristown-Beard (10-10). Standing out were backs YinYin Petersen, Laura Loeser, Carolyn Chambers and goalie Elaina Aquila. Petersen made a goal-line save in the second half. Aquila finished with five saves.
Chambers, a sophomore, returned from an ice hockey tournament in Rochester, N.Y. to take part in the final.
"It was awesome to have both of our captains score in the last game," Babbitt said. "Winning Prep B is a nice way to wrap things up. We couldn't ask for more. Everyone is very happy."
