She’s skilled, she’s smart and she’s got a great feel for the game. Only a sophomore, Olivia Kirkpatrick is already a star.
The playoffs are a great place for players and adolscents to come into their own.
On Thursday night at home, Kirkpatrick spearheaded the Palmyra field hockey team to its 12th District Three championship. The prolific 10th grader registered a goal and an assist – including the eventual game-winner – in the Cougars’ 3-1 triumph over rival Hershey, in the District Three Class AA title tilt.
Midway through the opening quarter, during a corner play, Kirkpatrick assisted Maddie Hudson on the Cougars’ first goal of the game. Then before the end of the first period, Kirkpatrick successfully converted a penalty corner that upped Palmyra’s advantage to 2-0.
Game in and game out, Kirkpatrick contributes to the Cougar effort in a variety of ways. She takes all of Palmyra’s important restarts, she leads by example and her calming nature seems to put her teammates at ease.
Moving forward, Kirkpatrick will be a key cog in the Cougars’ upcoming state playoff run.