STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It may have taken a little more time but the result was still just what the Fairfield University field hockey team wanted to start the 2025 Northeast Conference slate. The Stags overcame an early deficit but saw Wagner rally to tie the game in the closing minutes before edging Wagner College in overtime by a 3-2 score.
Fairfield controlled play throughout the game, allowing just one shot through the first three quarters. Unfortunately for the Stags, that one shot managed to find the back of the cage just five minutes into the match. After that, the team's back line and midfield kept Wagner on their heels with constant pressure in the Stags' offensive third. Fairfield held a 6-1 advantage in shots after the first quarter, an 11-1 edge at the half, and a 17-1 margin by the end of the third quarter. But it was one of those five shots in the second quarter that enabled Fairfield to tie the game at 1-1 as
Alex Senior finished a scoring a play that sent the two team into intermission in a deadlock
In the fourth quarter, Head Coach
Laura Gebhart saw her attacking unit take just two over the 15 minutes but it was the first one that counted.
Pilar Mengotti found an opening off a penalty corner insertion from
Alice Pifferi. The senior sent a shot toward goal that caught the far corner of the cage to give Fairfield its first lead of the game with just over seven minutes. That lead looked as though it might stand until Wagner made its most significant rush of the game. In the final three minutes of regulation, the Seahawks earned four consecutive penalty corners, the last of which resulted in the tying goal from Haliey Bianchino with 2:22 on the clock.
The clock ran out on regulation time, setting up a 10-minute overtime period. Both teams had an opportunity in extra time beginning with the home team in the 65th minutes. Natalie McGivern found herself in good space and released a shot that ended up skipping wide of its target. Four minutes later, it was Fairfield's turn to put pressure on the goalkeeper and the Stags made the most of the chance. Senior was able to end the game with her second goal of the match, beating the goalkeeper to the near post for the 3-2 decision.
Fairfield ended the match with a 20-8 advantage in shots, putting 10 shots on goal. Wagner goalkeeper Saar van Dalen was able to register seven saves while Fairfield goalkeeper
Payton Rahn secured three stops in her 68-plus minutes. The Stags were able to account for nine penalty corners compared to six penalty corners for Wagner, five of which came in the fourth quarter.
The Stags will have a full week before returning to the pitch at which time they will play a pair of NEC matches away from campus. The weekend opens on Friday, September 26 with a trip to Merrimack College before coming to an end on Sunday, September 28 at Stonehill College.
