FARMINGDALE — A year ago, the Hall-Dale field hockey team battled through the season with a 13-player roster.

On Monday afternoon, the Bulldogs secured their place as one of the top teams in Class C.

Thanks to two goals by sophomore Hannah Rauch, including the game-winner in overtime, Hall-Dale beat Dirigo 2-1 in a Mountain Valley Conference battle.

“We’ve been waiting for this (kind of season) for such a long time,” Rauch said. “We’re just so excited, this (feeling) is so hard to describe.”

Tied 1-1 after one overtime, Rauch found herself in front of the cage during a penalty corner and was able to knock a loose ball in for the deciding goal and was immediately mobbed by her teammates.

“We work on those corners every practice,” Rauch said. “(The ball) came across the middle. I just did my job, locked down. (The play) went just as we planned it.”

“We knew Dirigo was going to be tough, they always are,” said Hall-Dale head coach Amber Estes. “They’re a really great team and work like a well-oiled machine. I love their coaching staff, Gretchen (Curtis) and I are friends. … We knew it was going to probably come down to something like this, and we were ready. We’ve been working all season (in preparation) for this.”

Dirigo (11-3), which entered the game as the No. 2 seed in Class C North, struck first, as Diana Cayer tallied a score in the first quarter for a 1-0 lead. Hall-Dale tied the game 1-1 with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter, when Rauch, tied up in a scrum in front of the cage, managed to sneak in a shot for a goal.

The win is the seventh straight for Hall-Dale (11-3-0), which secures the No. 2 seed in C South just below No. 1 Winthrop (13-0). The victory was revenge for the Bulldogs, who fell 2-1 to the Cougars (11-3) on Sept. 24.

Hall-Dale finished 9-6-1 last year, reaching the C South semifinals before being eliminated by Winthrop, the eventual Class C champion. But the Bulldogs struggled with numbers throughout the season, at times participating in games with 12 players in 11-0n-11 competition. While numbers still aren’t high at the varsity level — 14 players dressed for Monday’s game — Hall-Dale is making up for its lack of numbers with skill.

“A lot of these girls I have coached from middle school up,” Estes said. “To see them grow over the years, I’ve always known that this group is very strong, there is a lot of talent there … I knew this year that we were starting to find our groove, and we were starting to get there.”

What has stood out the most for the Bulldogs has been their defense. Hall-Dale has allowed 16 goals in its 14 games, six of which were scored in the first two games of the season. The group is led by senior goalkeeper Jade Graham, who is an imposing presence in the cage. The strength in the Bulldogs’ defense has also provided confidence in the offense.

“We have a fantastic defense,” Rauch said. “Our midfield does a good job in the wings, bringing (the ball) up (the field). I think we all just work really well together.”

“They communicate well,” added Estes. “They tell each other (on the field) where they need to be. Whether it’s those (one-on-one situations) heading down the field. Our offense trusts our defense so much, they are allowed to do their job, because they know (the defense has their back). It allows them more flexibility in being able to play their game.”