Box Score STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Fairfield University field hockey team saw its season come to an end in the Northeast Conference (NEC) championship game as top-seeded Rider University posted a 2-1 overtime decision this afternoon.

Fairfield came out with great ball movement, sending the ball from side to side which led to frequent advancement through the first few minutes of the game. That advancement led to some offensive opportunities including a penalty corner in the fifth minute of play.

The Stags were able to move the ball around the circle after the insertion until Julianna Kratz collected the ball at mid-circle. The forward released a wrist shot that beat the goalkeeper as well as a couple defenders who tried to get a stick on the shot, putting the third-seeded Stags in front by a 1-0 count.

The lead was short lived because Rider countered off the restart at mid field, working the ball down the side line until the Broncs were able to work inside the circle. Fairfield was whistled for an infraction that set up a penalty corner for Rider. After the restart, Rider found Indy Zoontjens open near the top of the circle. She slapped the ball past the goalkeeper just 72 seconds after the Stags took the lead, tying the score at 1-1.

While the first five minutes seemed to favor a high-scoring game, the defense on both sides of the pitch settled into their own and began to keep both offenses from entering the circle. With play focused on the middle third of the pitch, there were still a few chances exhibited by both teams during the latter part of the first and the second quarters. By the end of the half, Rider held a slight edge by a 5-3 count in shots but goalkeeper Payton Rahn's two saves in the second quarter kept the game even at the half.

The third quarter tilted more the Stags way as Fairfield's defense did not allow a shot during that 15-minute stretch. Fairfield managed to take a pair of shots off three corners but Rider goalkeeper Kaitlyn Tomas was up to the task on both attempts.

Fairfield has several chances in the fourth quarter, taking three shots that forced Tomas to make one save but the one shot that went wide was perhaps the Stags best look at the goal. With a few minutes remaining in regulation, Kratz controlled a ball that came her way off a deflection and she immediately sent a shot toward the open left side of the goal but the attempt skipped just wide of the far post to keep the game level at 1-1.

Rider started the overtime period with a quick start and earned a penalty corner just two minutes into extra time. Fairfield fended off the first corner including a Rider shot that hit the crossbar. But the Broncs earned another penalty corner 30 seconds later that resulted in Valeria Perales catching up with a rebound and pushing the ball into the far side of the goal.

The Stags finished the 2022 season with an 11-9 overall record and a 5-2 mark in NEC play.