Amber Yeakel picked the right time to deliver one of Lehighton’s biggest goals of the season.

With 2:10 remaining in overtime, Yeakel converted a pass from Lilyana Shapiro to lift the sixth-seeded Indians to a 2-1 victory over third-seeded Saucon Valley in the District 11 Class 1A field hockey quarterfinals.

The victory sent Lehighton into the district semifinals and provided a measure of redemption against a Panthers team that had edged the Indians 1-0 during the regular season.

For Lehighton coach Jen Lobasso, it was the kind of determined performance she had hoped to see.

“Against Saucon Valley during the season, we had a ton of chances to score and win that game,” Lobasso said. “We were primed and ready to go!”

That determination was especially evident in overtime.

“In overtime, it came down to grit,” Lobasso said. “That’s where we shined. They were able to dig deep and find another level … another gear and come up with the win.”

The Indians (9-11) had to battle back after Saucon Valley (10-7-2) struck first on Lauren Hawk’s goal at 13:33 of the opening quarter.

Lehighton struggled to generate offense early, but Lobasso made adjustments at halftime that helped turn the momentum.

“We need to give Saucon Valley credit for doing a good job in the first half of shutting down our offense,” Lobasso said. “We switched up our offense in the second half where we run a different system that keeps two forwards further down the field.”

The changes paid off when Shapiro scored with 7:03 remaining in the third quarter to tie the game at 1-1.

“It came down to what team wanted it more,” Shapiro said. “When I scored it happened really fast, and I thought I got off a good shot. It was a tough game, and we had to do what we had to do.”

The Indians carried that momentum into overtime, even as the pressure continued to build.

“We were all a little nervous,” Shapiro said. “But we kept our emotions. We kept working and it worked out in the end.”

Yeakel also sensed a shift in Lehighton’s play after halftime.

“We woke up in the second half and began running our plays,” the junior said. “We were all really hyped (going into overtime) especially how we played in the second half. We knew we had it in the bag.”

A midfielder who hasn’t spent much time around the net this season, Yeakel made the most of her opportunity when Shapiro set her up for the winning goal.

“It feels great to be able to contribute,” Yeakel said. “We have a lot of heart, and we were able to pull it out.

“We had a tough season last year, and everyone stepped up their game this season.”

The victory also reflected how far Lehighton has come since finishing 3-14-1 a year ago.

“Last year, I missed the season with a broken foot, but I was at all the games,” Shapiro said. “It was really discouraging.

“But we all worked really hard in the preseason, and we really came together as a team this year.”

While the second-half offensive surge helped Lehighton rally, Lobasso credited the defense for keeping the Indians within striking distance.

She praised goalkeeper Lillian Klotz and defenders Alivia Reed and Tori Neid for their efforts against the Panthers.

“Our goalie Lillian Klotz and our two defenders Alivia Reed and Tori Neid were amazing at not allowing Saucon Valley to put in a second goal,” Lobasso said. “Our offense then kicked it into gear and we started to create better opportunities to score.”

UP NEXT … Lehighton will face second-seeded Pen Argyl (12-4-2), which received an opening-round bye, in Monday’s semifinals.

“Last year, we didn’t make it to the playoffs,” Lobasso said. “Our biggest goal this year was to make it to the playoffs and we were able to achieve it. Now we are hungry for some wins.”