VIDEO, PHOTOS: Robinson’s OT penalty stroke sends Lower Cape May to second round of state playoffs

Posted: November 2nd 2026

Lower Cape May's Liz McHugh flicks a clearing attempt over a Bordentown player's stick during Monday's field hockey state playoff game.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

ERMA – Brooke Robinson stood seven yards from goal with an opportunity to extend the careers of herself and the six other seniors on the Lower Cape May Regional High School field hockey team.

“It was a little stressful,” Robinson said. “But I felt like I could do it. I knew I needed to do it for my team.”

The senior defensive midfielder didn’t miss.

Robinson’s goal on a penalty stroke in the second overtime period represented the game’s only scoring as the Lady Tigers slipped past Bordentown, 1-0, in a first-round South Jersey Group I playoff game Monday.

Lower (12-5-1), the eighth seed in the tournament, advances to face top-seeded Shore Regional on the road on Wednesday.

The penalty stroke was awarded after Lower’s Greta Shepanski was knocked to the ground near the goal as she was about to take a shot.

Robinson stepped to the spot, patiently awaited the referee’s whistle and flicked her shot inside the left post, touching off a wild celebration by Lower’s players.

“I felt good about it as soon as I shot it,” Robinson said. “That goalie (Bordentown’s Samantha Beagle) had a very good game. She’s good. She’s very athletic. I just had to believe in myself and block out all the noise. I told myself I had to do this for my team and keep our season going.”

Robinson said she and her teammates had laser-sharp focus as the game progressed.

“Getting to that second overtime, we knew we really had to give it our all,” she said. “There’s so many of us seniors and we didn’t want it to be our last time playing. We knew we could come out on top. We just had to believe in ourselves.”

Taylor Stiteler made 12 saves in goal for the shutout for Lower Cape May.

“Our defense was very aggressive,” Robinson said. “We talk a lot and communicate and work very well together to fix our mistakes.”

Robinson said the seniors were extremely motivated to win the final home game of their careers.

“It was really important for us to win,” said Robinson, a three-sport athlete who also plays basketball and lacrosse. “We’ve had such a good season. This is my favorite team I’ve ever played alongside. We all really wanted this for each other. I knew at the end we were going to do whatever we had to do to win that game.”