Field Hockey Drops Springfield Tournament Opener In Penalty Strokes

Springfield 3, Worcester State 2    PS - Home

Springfield, MA --- Junior Lynn Donoghue (Yarmouthport, MA), senior Meagan Dobson (Longmeadow, MA), and third-year Alexa Carlson (New Milford, CT) fired in consecutive penalty strokes to lead the Springfield College field hockey team to a 3-2 victory over Worcester State in the opening game of the Dottie Zenaty Invitational this afternoon.

After the score was tied 2-2 at the end of regulation and two subsequent overtime sessions, the Pride short work of the penalty stroke situation, firing home three quick strikes to win it.

For Springfield it was their season opener while the Lancers slip to 0-2 with the setback.

The Pride took a 1-0 lead at the half. Carlson tallied for SC with 6:04 left in the first half, knocking it home off the goalie's pads for an unassisted goal.

Worcester State finally tied it with 22:32 left in the second stanza when senior midfielder Karla Rotondi (Tewksbury, MA) scored an an unassisted shot.

Just a little over three minutes later, SC freshman forward Kelly Gallo (Westfield, MA)  regained the lead for the Pride, after taking a feed from Donoghue. That made it 2-1, SC.

But with just under 10 minutes remaining (with 9:34 left), the Lancers tied it once again, this time on a goal by junior Samantha Janda (Sterling, MA). Her goal was assisted by sophomore Ally Valencia (Foxboro, MA).

Following two 15-minute sudden death overtime periods, the teams lined up for the penalty strokes. Each team was scheduled to take five shots on an alternating basis, but the format never made it that far.

Three Worcester State misses, including two that were blocked by SC junior goalkeeper Allison McCarthy (N. Andover, MA), were quickly followed by three solid goals by the Pride. Donoghue rang home the first, followed by a goal by Dobson. It then all ended when Carlson beat the Lancer goalie for the game-clincher.

McCarthy was credited with nine saves, including five in the overtimes. WSC goalie, junior Kat Masterjohn (Warren, MA), made 10 saves, including four in both of the extra frames.

In the second game today, Southern Maine defeated Brockport State, 2-0. Worcester State will take on the Golden Eagles at 11 AM tomorrow in the consolation game while Springfield entertains the Huskies in the championship at 1 o'clock.

Major Portions of Release Courtesy of Springfield Sports Information