Otis' OT Tally, Hat Trick Propels #7 Field Hockey to Eighth-Straight Win
MANCHESTER, NH– Junior Jen Otis (Penacook, NH) scored 18 seconds into overtime to complete the hat trick and give the #7 Merrimack field hockey team its eighth-consecutive victory, a 3-2 result at Saint Anselm. The Warriors improve to 8-1 on the season and 2-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference. The Hawks sink to 2-6 overall and 0-2 in league games.
Saint Anselm got on the board first with a goal from Kristina Katsikis late in the opening period. The tally snapped Merrimack's shutout streak at 449:31. Sara Sterling recorded an assist on Katsikis' seventh goal of the year.
The Hawks carried the 1-0 lead into halftime. The Warriors owned a 7-4 margin in shots through 35 minutes of action.
Otis tied the game at a goal each just 23 seconds into the second stanza. Otis netted an unassisted score for her fourth of the season.
The hosts reclaimed the lead with just over 20 minutes remaining in regulation. Elizabeth Sears notched her fourth goal of the campaign to put Saint Anselm ahead 2-1.
Otis knotted the score once again with less than five minutes left to play. The junior potted her second unassisted tally of the game and fifth of the season to even the score at 2-2.
Merrimack held a 17-10 edge in shots through regulation while earning 12 corners and conceding five.
The Warriors didn't wait long to capture the victory as Otis found the back of the net 18 seconds into the extra session on the lone shot in overtime. April Daugherty (Wakefield, RI) set up Otis for the game-winner to pick up her third assist on the year.
Kerri Bergquist (Mashpee, MA) made four saves to record her eighth victory of the season. The win is also Bergquist's 29th career victory, tying her with Amy Larabee for the program record.
"The team came out flat today but I thought they did a good job of recovering after allowing the first goal of the game for the first time this season," commented head coach Anne Rounce. "We executed very well in overtime and we showed heart at the end of regulation and in overtime."
Merrimack continues the four-game road swing September 28 as it travels to Assumption for a midweek clash.
