Bloomsburg Northern Lehigh's field hockey team met an aggressive weyr of dragons, Saturday, and couldn't tame them.

They were the Green Dragons of Lewisburg.In a preliminary round state playoff game at Central Columbia High School, Lewisburg defeated the Bulldogs, 3-1,The Dragons swarmed menacingly throughout most of the game. All but about 20 minutes of the 60-minute contest were played on the Lady Bulldog's half of the field.Head Coach Jess Frew of the Northern Lehigh blamed the slow start of her team on jitters from playing in a state game for the first time in the school's field hockey history. She also acknowledged that the Green Dragons were a skilled team that applied their passing skills with utmost proficiency.The lone goal for the Lady Bulldogs came with 12:18 left in the second half, after the local squad was already trailing 2-0. It came from Shannon Weil, who fired a missile from just in front of the goal that went untouched past Lewisburg goalkeeper Dentin Kline.The goalkeepers for both squads did a marvelous job, with Clelsea Harlan of Northern Lehigh and Kline each having five saves.Lewisburg had eight shots on goal while Northern Lehigh had five.Corners totaled 14 for Lewisburg and eight for the 'Dawgs.The Dragons from District 4 took a 1-0 lead with 18:47 left in the first half when Maddie Scarr, a senior, hammered a shot past Harlan.Then with 19:55 left in the second half, the score became 2-0 when junior Haley Stanko whacked the ball from the 15 yard line straight down the center.Although Nolehi battled back, the Green Dragons took control again. Two minutes after the Slatington school scored, Lewisburg made it 3-1 when a Lady Bulldog defender slipped and senior Shannon Albright sashayed around her and popped the ball into the cage.Frew said the long travel to Bloomsburg had an impact and accounted for the sluggish start from her squad. In addition, she said her girls knew nothing about the opponents.Frew added that this being a first for a Northern Lehigh field hockey team, getting to the state playoffs, also gave the squad members jitter."They were really a skilled team," acknowledged Frew of the opponent, adding that although the Green Dragons started fast, "once we found our rhythm we took advantage and did a lot better."She said Harlan did an impressive job in goal, adding, "She always does a great job.""Jessie Olewine stepped it up when needed," she remarked. "And Kelsey Follweiler helped with any sort of attack."Lewisburg coach Emily O'Connor said, "I think we were more attack minded. They really attacked our right side line and our girls did a fine job blocking.""Our girls were really excited to reach this plateau," O'Conner stated. "It's the first time since 2005. We wanted it and we wanted it bad.""It was really a great team effort," the winning coach gushed. "The goal keeper played tough. Liza Newlin played great defense. Cassie Sumfest, a freshman, plays great. Haley Stanko played good. It was a very unified effort all over the field."