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In the case of the Donegal field hockey team, it's actually both.
Senior Jenna Hunter's breakaway goal with just over 8 minutes left in the first half gave the host Indians a 2-0 lead en route to a 3-0 triumph over nemesis Lancaster Mennonite Tuesday.
The victory was Donegal's second of the season over the Blazers, marking the first time in school history that has happened, said Indians coach Jessica Shellenberger.
The win solidified their grasp on first place in Section Three and assured the Indians (10-0 L-L, 12-2 overall) of at least a share of the section crown, since only Mennonite (7-2, 9-3) can finish the 12-game league slate with as good a record.
That, however, would entail Donegal losing its last two section games while Mennonite wins out.
As far as senior defender Katie Robinson is concerned, there's just no way the Indians are going to allow that to happen.
"(Beating LM 5-0 Sept. 17) definitely gave us confidence that we could do it again," said Robinson, a member of the U.S. Women's Under-19 team who will take her skills as a scholarship player to the University of Virginia next year. "We didn't have (a loss) hanging over our heads. We never beat them twice before and this helps us to our goal of winning the section title. Winning it outright is always our goal."
Donegal fell short of that last season when it shared the honors with Mennonite, but the Indians made a memorable run through the L-L League playoffs and earned their first league crown since 1972 with a 2-1 win over Warwick.
This year's squad has put together quite a season, outscoring its league opponents 53-4 and recording eight shutouts, backstopped by the goalie tandem of sophomore Alyssa Gower and junior Jenna Garber, who each stopped the only shot they faced Tuesday.
Robinson is also a key defender, with a reputation as one of the tightest-marking players in the league. She said she enjoys her view from the backfield, especially on plays like Hunter's breakaway.
"I like it when you can create opportunities, then watch them unfold," she said. "It's not necessary to score the goal to be part of it."
While she didn't have a direct hand in Hunter's goal, Robinson assisted on Olivia Leaman's blast off a penalty corner 5:37 into the game, then also initiated the corner play that ended up with Sammi Yoder finishing off a feed from Karlee Farr with 1:05 to play.
Shellenberger said her kids know the importance of earning corners, and the Indians did that Tuesday. They had advantages of 20-10 on corners and 15-2 on shots against Mennonite.
"We teach them to look to get corners and they're good at earning them, but what is the point if you can't put the ball in the cage?" said Shellenberger. "We've got to be coming away with more than just two goals on 20 corners."
The lack of goal production off corners may have been the lone downside to an otherwise well-executed gameplan against an improving Blazers squad, which had won six straight before Tuesday.
"I think we are playing better, and we played them better this time than last," said Cicely Berkey, LM's first-year coach. "We just need to focus on doing the little things right and building our confidence."
That's something not lacking for the Indians, who continue their hunt for the outright section crown while being pursued by their other six rivals.
