Mount Notre Dame Claims Regional Field Hockey Title
The Cincinnati school beat Indian Hill 3-2 in overtime to win its sixth straight regional championship and advance to the OHSAA state tournament.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Hockey
Mount Notre Dame won the Division I regional field hockey championship with a 3-2 overtime victory over Indian Hill on October 31, 2026. The win marks the school's sixth consecutive regional title and sends the team to the OHSAA state tournament.
Why it matters
The victory extends Mount Notre Dame's regional dominance and qualifies the program for its 13th state tournament appearance. The team will face a state semifinal test against Upper Arlington as it seeks only its second state semifinal win in program history.
Sarah Benne led the team with 27 goals and 67 points in 21 games, while the defense allowed 14 goals and recorded 10 shutouts. Worthington has won the last four OHSAA state titles, and the outcome of Mount Notre Dame's state semifinal remains undecided.
The players
Mount Notre Dame
Mount Notre Dame is a Catholic girls' school in Cincinnati whose field hockey program has built a long record of regional success under coach Sarah Pisciotta.
Sarah Pisciotta
Sarah Pisciotta has coached Mount Notre Dame's field hockey team since 2019.
Sarah Benne
Sarah Benne is a Mount Notre Dame field hockey forward whose team-leading 27 goals and 67 points this season made her a central figure in the team's run.
Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington is a central Ohio school district whose field hockey team has never won an OHSAA state championship and will face Mount Notre Dame in the state semifinal.
The details
Indian Hill led 2-0 in the first half on goals by Fay Van de Meulengraaf and Kate Lanphear before Mount Notre Dame scored twice in the second half to force overtime. Sarah Benne scored two goals in the regional final, including the overtime winner.
Timeline
October 31, 2026: Mount Notre Dame wins the regional final 3-2 in overtime.
November 5, 2026: Mount Notre Dame plays Upper Arlington in a state semifinal at 4:30 p.m.
November 7, 2026: The state championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Thomas Worthington.
Season Trajectory
Mount Notre Dame's sixth straight regional title places it among the state's most consistent programs, but Worthington has won the last four OHSAA state championships. The Cincinnati school must now beat Upper Arlington and possibly a power like Columbus Academy, which has won 12 state titles since 1994, to reach the final.
Fans following the state tournament can track the semifinal on November 5 and the championship on November 7 at Thomas Worthington. For Cincinnati-area readers, the bracket determines whether a local school can reach the final for the first time since 2004.
The takeaway
Mount Notre Dame's regional success shows how sustained coaching and depth can keep a program competitive year after year. Readers following the state tournament should watch how the semifinal against Upper Arlington unfolds, as it will test whether this Cincinnati program can compete with the state's recent powers.
What happens next
Mount Notre Dame plays Upper Arlington in the OHSAA state semifinal on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 4:30 p.m., with the state championship set for November 7, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Thomas Worthington.
Further reading
For more on the sport, explore Hockey coverage on Wisevoter.
