FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The No. 2 seeded Fairfield field hockey team is headed back to the MAAC Championship Game for the second straight season after defeating the third seeded Bryant Bulldogs, 3-2 in overtime.
Ann Burgoyne scored the game-winner less than two minutes into the extra period when she grabbed a rebound and fired it into the back of the net.
The scoring started just about nine minutes into the game, Corrine Persichetti found Burgoyne in front of the net who tipped it in to give the Stags a 1-0 lead.
Then in the 22nd minute, Floor van Dommelen sent in a long pass to Victoria Newbill who beat the keeper and tied the game at 1-1.
In the second half, the Bulldogs came out strong on the offensive end. Just 10 minutes in, Keighan Richardson found the back of the net to take a 2-1 lead.
Bryant held that lead into the 69th minute until de Paeuw fired a shot and Emma Clark tipped it in to tie the game with just 101 seconds left in regulation.
And in overtime, Burgoyne, the senior captain, sent the Stags bench into hysteria with the game-winner.
“Ann is the most determined player I've ever coached and she just refused to lose this game. I'm not sure how she scored that goal, but she did and our team is ecstatic about the win,” said Head Coach Jackie Kane. “Our plan this whole season was to get back to the Championship Game and we are ready to take on either Monmouth or Rider on Sunday.”
Sunday's MAAC Championship Game will be at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday in West Long Branch against the winner of the second semifinal game between No. 1 Monmouth and No. 4 Rider.
