Notre Dame Prep girls soccer had allowed just two goals in nine games entering Friday’s showdown at Mercy.

So when the No. 3 Magic finally broke through midway through the second half to tie the game, the No. 2 Blazers were in unfamiliar territory.

Not a problem.

Five minutes later, Notre Dame Prep responded when sophomore forward Maddie Hecklinger scored from 16 yards out. From there, goalie Lydia Itzoe saved a penalty kick and the defense fended off two corner kicks as the Blazers were able to hold on for a 2-1 win in Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference play.

Notre Dame Prep (8-1-1) improved to 3-1-1 in conference play, good for second place. Mercy (6-4, 2-3) lost its third straight conference game, all by one goal.

Blazers coach Cynthia Walsh was pleased with her group’s resilience in claiming the road win and three points in the standings.

“The biggest thing we’ve talked about the past couple weeks has been our mentality. Whether you’re up or down, it has to be continue to fight because you’re never out and you’re never too up,” she said. “I’m proud of these girls for digging deep and fighting through.”

Greyson Tischer gave the Blazers a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute, finding the right side from 10 yards off a corner kick that was punched out by Magic goalie Sarah Graham.

In most games this season — the Blazers have posted seven shutout wins and another 0-0 tie — the advantage would have stuck. And well into the second half, the defense stayed firm.

Then came Mackenzie Hobik’s chance at a free kick from 25-plus yards. The senior midfielder hit a clean strike that found the upper left corner, tying the game at 1 with 20:41 to play.

Unfazed, the visiting Blazers responded minutes later when Hecklinger took a pass ahead from Becca Blunt before sending a firm, low shot that found the left corner.

“It was a good moment for my team and a perfect team game to finish,” she said. “Adrenaline rush for sure. It was, ‘Wow’ — a big moment and my heart was beating really fast.”

The Magic’s pressure in a bid to equalize granted them a penalty kick when a Blazers defender was called for a hand ball in the area, but Itzoe handled Hobik’s kick this time.

Notre Dame Prep standout center back Hanna Phillips liked the team’s response to the challenge presented by Mercy.

“I think we worked great tonight. We’re a family and that’s what I love about this team,” she said. “We’re all really close and I think that’s ultimately why we’re able to get the good results we’ve been getting.”

Mercy coach Tom Durkin, who had seven freshmen and sophomores on the field for much of the game, didn’t feel the result reflected the effort from his team.

“Two days ago [in a 3-2 loss to St. Paul’s], I was frustrated because we didn’t play well and we lost a game we shouldn’t have lost,” he said. “Tonight, I’m not upset. It’s frustrating because you hate to lose, but the girls left everything on the field. I thought we were really good. We have three losses in the conference and they were all by one goal — that’s how tight this league and how good this league is.”

Other field hockey scores:

Glenelg 7, Liberty 1

Bel Air 4, North County 0

St. Mary’s 2, Severn 0

Football

Annapolis 27, Broadneck 26: Broadneck had every chance to win Friday’s game against Annapolis.

Though trailing, 27-26, the Bruins’ offense had the ball as time ticked under a minute. Running back Ian Mauldin slipped through a gap to convert a first down to the Panthers’ 25-yard line with 30 seconds left.

All Broadneck had to show for the first two downs was a five-yard penalty. Annapolis’ Rion Jackson batted down CJ Watkins’ pass on third down.

Six seconds left. Fourth-and-15 from the 30. A chance for Broadneck to rally and keep its undefeated record, or a chance for Annapolis to triumph over their cross-bridge rivals. They promised their late offensive coordinator, Jamison Carter Scott they would do it.

As Watkins’ pass sailed to the end zone, Panthers corner back Zyhir Neal’s repeated his coach’s words.

“Do not catch the pick,” he parroted. “Always bat the ball down. So, I did my job.”

The Annapolis players on the sidelines hardly let Neal’s batted pass touch the ground before rushing the field to celebrate. A lopsided first half, a blocked extra point attempt in the second and the right defensive moves in the end held Annapolis’ one-point victory, which gives the Panthers (6-1) a shot at claiming the county title. Since the Bruins (6-1) defeated Arundel on Sept. 13, the Panthers doing the same in two weeks will would hand them the crown outright.

— Katherine Fominykh

Dundalk 40, Franklin 0: In a litmus test between Baltimore County squads with aspirations of deep playoff runs, Dundalk passed with flying colors.

The Owls thrived on both sides of the ball, scoring on six of their first seven drives, forcing two fumbles and walloping visiting Franklin. Dundalk improved to 5-2, while Franklin fell to 4-3.

“Tonight was a statement win against a great program,” Dundalk coach Tom Abel said.

Offensively, everyone got in on the fun for the Owls. Six players found the end zone, and the hosts’ prolific ground game featured an ‘everybody eats’ mentality. Christian Cofield led the way with 13 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown. Philip Jones took his seven totes for 62 yards and a score, and AJ Smith, Jocquan Jenkins and Donte Gause combined for six carries, 66 yards and two touchdowns.

— Aidan Thomas, for Baltimore Sun Media

South Carroll 34, Liberty 28, OT: Once again, the South Carroll-Liberty matchup had it all.

Liberty came in undefeated in county play, armed with one of the area’s most dangerous offensive weapons in Tristan West and a quarterback who loves to throw.

Their challenge Friday? A pesky and persistent Cavaliers squad, featuring two hard-working running backs that refuse to be tackled by just one person, an opportunistic defense and an offensive unit coming off a great performance in a losing effort.

Both teams brought it all to the “Lion’s Den” as the Cavaliers and Lions refused to let up. In the end, one man made the ultimate play: Anthony Rodrigues.

The Cavaliers’ workhorse, Rodrigues’ 25th rush of the night was the second one he took to the house. This one, a 10-yard touchdown, ended the game in overtime, capping off the overtime victory for South Carroll.

— Timothy Dashiell

South River 48, Crofton 41

Severna Park 35, Severn Run 0

Arundel 42, Old Mill 0

Glen Burnie 54, Meade 7

Springbrook 42, Winters Mill 19

Girls soccer

Severn 2, Old Mill 1

Liberty 3, Gerstell 1

Mount de Sales 1, Maryvale 0, OT

John Carroll 2, Roland Park 1

Glenelg 3, Hammond 1

Patterson Mill 1, Manchester Valley 1, 2OT

Boys soccer

Perry Hall 2, Bel Air 0

Volleyball

Howard 3, Hammond 0

Glen Burnie 3, Southern 2

Baltimore Sun Media staff contributed to this article.

Have a news tip? Contact Glenn Graham at ggraham@baltsun.com, 410-332-6636 andx.com/GlennGrahamSun.