JAY — Grace Estes’ clutch goal gave Hall-Dale/Monmouth a 2-1 overtime win over Spruce Mountain on Wednesday in a battle of two of the top field hockey teams in Class C South.

Estes scored both of the Bulldogs’ goals. The game winner came about a minute into overtime, when she fired the ball through traffic and into the back of the cage.

“I really just popped my stick in reverse and I just tried to sweep it in the goal,” Grace Estes said. “There was no goalie, unfortunately, so it was just a wide-open goal, and I was able to get it in.”

Hall-Dale/Monmouth (7-3) coach Amber Estes said that Grace Estes “digs very deep,” and is a player who gets down low to fight for every ball and who continues to push the pace until she generates a scoring opportunity.

Grace Estes and Amber Estes both said the Bulldogs’ win over the Phoenix (6-3) was long overdue.

“We have been working really hard,” Amber Estes said. “Spruce is an extremely competitive team, and we love them, but they took us twice last year and several in the past. It’s been a long time, so we were looking to come out and work real hard to take that win.”

Amber Estes added that Wednesday’s victory was a result of the Bulldogs’ physical conditioning.

“The girls really do work super hard on their conditioning,” Amber Estes said. “Practices are hard, and we work and we give it everything we can, and that’s where we dial in. We focus on exactly what we need to practice.”

Grace Estes’ first goal tied the game late in the second quarter. Off an inserted corner, she shot the ball through traffic and into the cage with 1:35 left in the first half. She said it was a lucky goal.

“It was definitely very frantic, we were all really scrambling to get that tie game in,” Grace Estes said. “I just saw that opening between (Spruce goalkeeper Mallory Clark’s) legs, and I just kind of had to pop it right through her.”

Sophomore Maddie Grimaldi gave Spruce Mountain a 1-0 lead with a goal off an assist from freshman Aisla Armandi early in the first quarter.

Phoenix coach Rachael Mastine said the team adjusted its passing and communication after Monday’s 4-0 loss to unbeaten Winthrop, and that both were much improved in Wednesday’s game.

Mastine added that the game could have gone either way, and said that despite the Phoenix’s loss, the two teams remain close.

“Coach Estes and I talk a lot, we’re friends, so it’s definitely become a big rivalry,” Mastine said. “This summer, we were short a few players so we actually had the Hall-Dale girls come in and play with us. So, it’s just a fun, competitive game, the kids all know each other and get along.”

Clark finished with five saves for Spruce Mountain, while Bulldogs goalie Jade Graham stopped six of the seven shots she faced.

“Jade’s a great goalie for Hall-Dale,” Mastine said. “We knew that going into it. She’s great, and she’s tough.”