Field Hockey Suffers 4-3 OT Loss at Southern Connecticut
NEW HAVEN, Conn.- Despite a two-goal performance by Jamie Spano (Reading, Mass.), the Merrimack field hockey team fell 4-3 in overtime at Southern Connecticut State. The Warriors fall to 6-8 overall and 3-4 in the Northeast-10 Conference with the loss. The Owls jump to 8-9 on the year and 6-3 in the league with the win.
Southern Connecticut potted the game's first goal less than five minutes into play. Sarah Cebry knocked in a rebound off of a shot from Laura Dembofsky.
Spano tied the score at one each with her fourth tally of the season at 16:55, firing a shot from the left side. Spano's score came from a penalty corner taken by Jessica Otis (Pittsford, N.Y.). Merrimack claimed its first lead of the day three minutes later. April Daugherty (Lincoln, R.I.) netted goal number four on the year for her. Daugherty tipped in a shot by Katie Zubkus (Dover, N.H.), who earned an assist on the play along with Caitlin Kamide (Southington, Conn.).
The Owls would notch an equalizer before the first half came to a close. Dieny Charlot found the back of the cage with 11 minutes remaining in the period. Meghan Lahm and Ann Farrier registered helpers on the score.
Midway through the second stanza, Spano restored the Warriors' lead on her team-leading fifth goal of the 2010 campaign. The sophomore buried a marker from the left side of the net off a feed from Daugherty.
The home team knotted the contest at 3-3 at the 58th minute mark. Farrier corralled a loose ball in front of Merrimack's goal and shot the ball in to force overtime.
Just 1:19 into the extra session, the Owls' Laura Cockerline found Charlot who netted the game-winner.
Kerri Bergquist (Mashpee, Mass.) turned aside 16 shots for the Warriors. Kamide also added a defensive save in the match. Lauren Zarrella made six saves to earn the win for Southern Connecticut.
"We had a number of opportunities to score today but we were unable to finish in crucial situations," said head coach Anne Rounce. "I feel that the program is growing stronger due to the hard lessons that we've had to learn this year."
