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Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus Athletics

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niki14
senior Niki Ikeda's outstanding night propelled the Devils
6
Winner FDU-Florham FDUF (6-5, 1-1 Freedom)
5
Wilkes University WUFH (3-7, 1-1 Freedom)
Winner
FDU-Florham FDUF
(6-5, 1-1 Freedom)
6
Final
5
Wilkes University WUFH
(3-7, 1-1 Freedom)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT-2 F
FDU-Florham FDUF 2 3 1 6
Wilkes University WUFH 4 1 0 5

Game Recap: Field Hockey | | by: Bryan Jackson

Devils Field Hockey Rallies from Three Goals Down In Overtime Victory

EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. -- After trailing 5-2 in the second half, the FDU-Florham field hockey team rallied to even the score before ultimately winning 6-5 in overtime against the Wilkes University Lady Colonels on Friday night.

The Devils (6-5, 1-1 Freedom) showed tremendous resilience to overcome the second-half deficit on the road against the Lady Colonels (3-7, 1-1 Freedom) to earn their first Freedom Conference victory of the season.

FDU-Florham's Niki Ikeda (Lawrence, N.J./Lawrence) was brilliant on Friday, as the senior scored the game-tying goal in the 64th minute, before netting the game-winner in overtime. In addition to the two-goal effort, the senior also assisted on two of the Devils' six goals in the win. 

Wilkes senior Aliya Frankel opened the scoring 9:26 into the game, when she fired from the back post off of a pass from teammate Marissa Surdy. Devils' freshman Jodie Crutchley (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) countered shortly after by firing a reverse-stick shot into the back of the cage for the equalizer. Five minutes later, sophomore Kim Davis (Long Branch, N.J./Long Branch) put the Devils in front 2-1 on a putback from Ikeda.

Unfortunately, the Devils lead did not last as Surdy assisted on two Lady Colonels' goals that spanned 43 seconds, which gave the home team a 3-2 advantage midway through the opening stanza. The tying goal came courtesy of a one-timer by senior Kerryn Redcay and the go-ahead strike came via a tap in by Wilkes' freshman Maura Brownsey. 

Less than two minutes shy of halftime, the Lady Colonels added to their lead when Surdy setup another goal, this time finding Frankel with a cross pass that gave Wilkes a 4-2 lead at intermission. Brownsey enhanced the Lady Colonels' lead to 5-2 early in the second half by knocking in a pass on the back post.     

However, FDU-Florham remained undeterred by the three-goal deficit and Crutchley kicked off the rally in the 46th minute when she knocked home her second tally of the contest, which cut Wilkes' lead to 5-3. Freshman Alexa Paparo (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern) continued the Devils' resurgence in the 61st minute by netting her second-collegiate goal, which made it a 5-4 game.

The Devils continued the pressure and it paid off three minutes later, when Ikeda notched the game-tying score off of an assist from sophomore Erin O'Connell (Linwood, N.J./Mainland). O'Connell's assist was her first of the season and it could not have been more timely. The game remained even at 5-5 and proceeded to overtime.

In the overtime period, Ikeda delivered again by beating the diving Wilkes' goalkeeper Alexis Reed, which sent the Devils home with the hard-fought victory. Ikeda's six-point effort is a career best for the three-time All-Freedom Conference team member. 

Although the shots on goal were nearly even, FDU-Florham held a massive 22-0 edge on penalty corners in the contest.    

Next up for the Devils:
FDU-Florham continues their four-game road trip this Wednesday, October 8th when they visit Montclair State University at 7 p.m.
 
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