Somebody is going to have to separate these two eventually.
Just hasn’t happened yet.
Cumberland and the Lincoln Lions finished tied 2–2 Thursday, October 1, at Tucker Field, one week after their first meeting ended 1–1. Two games. Three goals each. And neither team gets to claim the last word.
This time, the Clippers had to erase a two-goal deficit to keep it that way.
Lincoln built its lead through Molly Comtois, who scored in the first quarter, and Laura Bello, who added a goal in the third. Cumberland had ground to make up against an opponent that had already shown how difficult it could be to break down.
Delaney Eckman gave the Clippers their opening, scoring with an assist from senior captain Payton Jolicoeur to cut the deficit to 2–1. That put Cumberland within one finish of rescuing the result.
Jolicoeur supplied it. With 8:39 remaining in regulation, she converted a penalty stroke into the left side of the cage, bringing the Clippers even at 2–2.
A two-goal hole. Two different scorers. A game back within reach.
Neither side found a winner over the remaining minutes or in the 10-minute, seven-on-seven overtime. Cumberland had earned its way back, and Lincoln had made the Clippers work for every bit of it.
The September 24 meeting had required a late answer, too. Jolicoeur converted a penalty corner with 39 seconds left in regulation, assisted by Annie Collins, to tie that game at 1–1. Overtime could not separate them then, either.
For Cumberland, there is encouragement in finding a response twice against the same rival. There is also a challenge in making that level of play show up sooner. The comeback keeps this result in the draw column; carrying that urgency from the opening whistle could help the Clippers turn the next close game into a win.
Both teams left the October 1 matchup at 5–3–2. In the Division II RPI standings following the game, Cumberland held first place and Lincoln second. The draw kept two contenders close as the season moved into October.
There is something about a local rivalry when the competition catches up to the geography. Being neighbors gets people interested. Being this evenly matched keeps them interested.
The postseason history adds weight. Lincoln beat Cumberland in overtime in the 2024 Division II final. The Clippers returned to the final in 2025, falling 1–0 to Lincoln School. Those are different opponents, but the goal for Cumberland remains the same: get back to that stage and finish the job.
A playoff meeting with the Lions is still a possibility, with work left before the bracket takes shape. If their paths cross, two draws suggest that one clean connection, one defensive stop or one finished chance could decide considerably more.
Give the Lions their due, too. A good rivalry needs somebody across the field who makes you earn it. Through two meetings, neither side has managed to get past the other.
So we leave this one at 2–2, with the season series still level and the possibility of another chapter hanging out there.
If that chapter comes in the playoffs, get to the field. If you can’t, get the game on.
Clippers. Lions. Something bigger on the line.
That is must-watch TV.
Revisit the first meeting: A Town Apart, an Inch Between Them.
Additional October 1 scoring details, postgame records, RPI positions and postseason history are drawn from Providence Journal reporting supplied to Cumberland Sideline. First-meeting scoring details: Providence Journal reporting via AOL. RIIL field hockey results.