Glenelg’s defense shut out only two opponents during the regular season, but the Gladiators did not allow a single goal in the playoffs en route to their second straight field hockey state championship.

The No. 9 Gladiators polished off the season with a 2-0 victory over No. 13 Manchester Valley Saturday in the Class 2A final at Stevenson University’s Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills. They outscored five playoff opponents, 30-0.

With new coach Christina Giampalmo and some new players in key roles, the Gladiators (13-6) grew thought the season against a tough schedule that included Class 4A champion and No. 1 Broadneck, two games against Class 3A finalist and No. 4 River Hill and two games at the MAX Field Hockey National Invitational.

Defender Sarah Walker said her unit evolved through the season to make every game a team effort among her, Catherine Taylor, Madi Hahn, Riley Oakes and freshman goalie Trinity Shackelford.

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“I think [it was] working together and making our connection the best it can be,” the sophomore said. “We’ve been working on that all season and on how we need to set up. We wanted to have a shutout in states and I think that’s what drove us through this game.”

The Gladiators faced another stellar defensive team in Manchester Valley (13-3-1), which won a shootout with Kent Island in the semifinals thanks in large part to senior goalie Charlotte Schurman stopping two penalty strokes in regulation, making three saves in overtime and allowing only one goal against five attackers in the shootout one-on-ones.

Saturday afternoon, neither team managed to score in the first three quarters. The Mavericks had their best chances with three penalty corners in the first quarter. The Gladiators had nine shots in the first three quarters and Schurman saved six of them.

“I think Man Valley was a really good team and had a lot of pressure on us from the start,” Walker said. “I think we just had to take control and maintain possession. It was a complete team effort, but they were a really good team.”

In the fourth quarter, Glenelg quickly drew a penalty corner and Emily Altshuler scored on a pass from Ashley Kim with 14 minutes left.

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Altshuler, a junior midfielder, credited both Kim and Theresa Stiller, who made the insertion pass and then started the chain of events that led to the goal.

“Theresa sent it to pads and our pad player is super strong, Ashley Kim, and she makes great plays, so she tapped it over to my side and I just reversed it in,” Altshuler said.

Glenelg dominated the rest of the half and Stiller added an insurance goal with two minutes to go.

The title is the sixth for Glenelg and the sixth in the past five seasons.

“This was our dream, our goal to win the state championship especially after coming off a state championship last year,” Altshuler said, “so we really set goals for ourselves the whole season and we continued to remind ourselves of those goals. We had a few losses throughout the season, but we stayed strong, picked it back up, fixed what we had to fix and it led us here.”

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The Mavericks were in the state championship for the first time in their eighth appearance in the state tournament.

Led by the defense of Schurman, Sophie Baer, Caroline Foran, Nikki Swan and MaKayla Fore, Manchester Valley shut out 12 opponents and allowed just 10 goals all season.

Mavericks coach Denean Koontz, who led North Carroll to state championships in 2013 and 2014, said it hurt to miss the early chances.

“If we could have capitalized on our scoring opportunities in the first or second quarter when we had that run of corners, I think it would have been a different ball game,” Koontz said. “After they scored their first goal, I don’t think we let down, I think they just got into a groove and they got the momentum swing and we had trouble defending that momentum.”

Now that the Mavericks, who graduate just four starters, have had a taste of the state championship game, they aim to return next year.

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“I think we’ll be back,” said Baer, a sophomore. “I don’t have any doubt that we’ll be back, but I wish we would have come out with a win.”

Should they return, they might just meet the Gladiators again. Glenelg graduates just two starters.

CLASS 2A STATE FIELD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP

(at Stevenson University)

NO. 9 GLENELG 2, NO. 13 MANCHESTER VALLEY 0

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MV 0 0 0 0 — 0

G 0 0 0 2 — 2

GOALS: G—Emily Altshuler, Theresa Stiller

ASSISTS: G—Ashley Kim, Skyler Rill

SAVES: MV—Charlotte Schurman 5; G—Trinity Shackelford 3