Cumberland, Lincoln turn D-II field hockey final into a rivalry showdown

PROVIDENCE – Sunday's Division II field hockey title match will double as a battle for Blackstone Valley bragging rights. Cumberland and Lincoln each punched a ticket Thursday night, Oct. 29, at La Salle Academy, with the Clippers needing a pair of overtimes and the Lions surviving a nervy fourth quarter. Annie Collins flipped home the winner for Cumberland in a 3-2 thriller against Lincoln School, a rematch of last year's championship round. Brooke Batista's goal in the second quarter was the needed insurance for Lincoln to hold off South Kingstown, 2-1, in a meeting of beaten semifinalists from 2025. The Clippers and Lions will collide in a scheduled 3 p.m. start at Roger Williams, and both will be hungry after leaving Cimini Stadium. Cumberland has experienced heartbreak in the last game for two straight years while Lincoln's seniors are seeking a third crown in what has been a strong four-year run. "We've been to the championship three years in a row," Collins said. "We've played different teams each time. Third time's the charm." "We had lost to SK this entire regular season playing them," Batista said. "We knew we had to beat them this time to go to the championship." The Lynx erased a 2-0 deficit with single goals in each of the last two quarters, but the Clippers regained control in the 7-on-7 extra periods and pushed for a winner. Collins drove into the circle and fanned on her initial shot, but the ball lingered near the right post for a second chance. Collins casually flipped it home to snap what was a 2-2 tie and clear her bench in celebration. "You have such a weight on your shoulders – it's gone in a second," Collins said. "That's how I can describe it." Cumberland (8-5-2) converted on a penalty corner at the end of the first quarter to take the lead, with Collins scoring from close range after Nora Pepin's shot deflected high in the air and bobbled around in the circle. The Clippers doubled the advantage with 9:33 left in the third when Lily Thurston found the short side off the right wing, and Cumberland seemed comfortable with that two-goal cushion. Lincoln School (4-9-1) wasn't about to surrender its title without a fight and rallied from there. Arianna Casey's rocket off a penalty corner was blocked in front, but Lilly Berkhoudt was quickest to the rebound and fed Myla Waldron to cut the deficit in half with 3:06 left in the third. It stayed that way until midway through the fourth when Casey let loose another drive that whistled past the right post and thumped into the back of the cage.Watch RI high school sports on NFHS Network!“It's just a matter of you win or you go home,” Collins said. “I'm a senior. It would have been my last game if we lost.” The Lions (7-6-2) produced a mild upset by tilting the field in their direction in the early stages. Cyan Costa buried a rebound with 5:38 left in the opening quarter and Batista put away what turned out to be the winner with 9:47 left in the second. She drove down the right wing and served one across that took a generous deflection and wound up in the back of the net. "We left this field negatively last year," Batista said of a semifinal defeat against the Lynx 12 months ago. "We wanted to come back, be positive and win." The Rebels (11-5-0) started to generate some momentum right from the halftime break, scoring after just 1:37. Marah Nelson sent in a corner off the left and Lynden Conley ripped one from the top of the circle to bring South Kingstown back within a goal. The Rebels had their chances the rest of the way, but Lincoln's defense and goalkeeper Emmalyn Araujo found a way to close it out. "The ball was down there so much with all their corners," Batista said. "I think a lot of nerves, but we just had to get it out." Cumberland and the Lions played 1-1 and 2-2 draws before the Clippers rolled to a 6-2 victory in their final meeting of the regular season. Batista said she might impose a no-contact period leading up to start time with Caroline Bizier, her best friend and the provider for the first Collins goal of the night. They'll follow the Moses Brown-East Greenwich showdown in Division I, the first game of a tripleheader starting at 1 p.m. "I feel like this one's different because we played (Lincoln School) last year in the championship," Collins said. "This one's kind of like our revenge." "We knew we had to go all in and do everything we had to do," Batista said. "I don't know – we just did it."LINCOLN SCHOOL (2): Myla Waldron, Arianna Casey; assists – Lilly Berkhoudt. CUMBERLAND (3): Annie Collins 2, Lily Thuston; assist – Caroline Bizier. Halftime – C, 1-0. End of regulation – 2-2. End of first overtime – 2-2. Saves – Lucy Camara, LS, 12; Emma Maccio, C, 7.LINCOLN (2): Cyan Costa, Brooke Batista. SOUTH KINGSTOWN (1): Lynden Conley; assist – Marah Nelson. Halftime – L, 2-0. Saves – Emmalyn Araujo, L, 8; Harper Rodman, SK, 11. bkoch@providencejournal.com On X: @BillKoch25 This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Cumberland, Lincoln turn D-II field hockey final into a rivalry showdownOur editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.