FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University field hockey team took Penn to double overtime before conceding a goal in the 94th minute of a 2-1 loss.
The Stags played a tremendous game defensively, Caitlin Bennett recorded 10 saves in cage off 24 Quakers' shots. At the end of regulation, the defense faced six consecutive penalty corners and was able to fend off each one to force the game into extra time.
The game was even from the get go as the two sides traded possession for most of the first half. Penn's offense didn't break through until the 33rd minute when Sofia Palacios scored off the rebound. Alexa Hoover shot the ball off the post and Palacios collected the rebound before she took the shot. The Quakers headed into the break with a 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Fairfield quickly found the equalizer. Hannah Pike inserted a penalty corner to Maclaine Matties who passed it right back to Pike and was able to take a hard shot that found its way to the back of the net.
Fairfield would have five more scoring chances before the end of the half, but could not capitalize on any of them. In the 66th minute, Penn was awarded their third penalty corner of the game and had six more consecutively to close out regulation. The Quakers were able to fire off five shots, three blocked and two saved by the Stags to force the game into overtime.
The first overtime period had no shortage of excitement as Penn fired off five shots. The Stags got just one shot from Ann Burgoyne who had an excellent scoring chance sniffed out by the keeper who made the stop.
The second overtime saw more of the same as each team tried to capitalize on counter attacks. Fairfield had an excellent chance on a breakaway that found Burgoyne alone in front of the net. But her shot was pushed just wide of the cage. Penn quickly countered a made a long pass to Palacios who was in the circle and had just the goalie to beat as she fired it into the cage. Given the sudden victory rules of field hockey, that ended the game nine minutes into the second overtime period.
"The girls showed a lot of heart today with the way they played. We practiced hard all week in preparation and it showed today on the field in the way they executed," said Head Coach Jackie Kane. "I'm heartbroken for these girls as the result of the game doesn't show how hard and well they played. But we move on to another tough game against Columbia in just a few days."
Fairfield will travel to Columbia on Sunday for a noon time game.
