MADISON, N.J. – Despite a stunning second half comeback, the top-seeded FDU-Florham field hockey team was unable to grab their second consecutive MAC Freedom Championship title as they were defeated by the Misericordia University Cougars 4-3 in a thrilling double overtime match on Saturday afternoon at Robert T. Shields Field.
Senior goalkeeper Amy Defnet put on a stellar performance in goal for the Devils, racking up 12 saves and she was put to the test right from the start of the match. Three shots were sent in her direction within the first six minutes and she sent all three away.
With Defnet containing the Cougars' offensive, the Devils worked their way down the field and following an Alicia Grotyohann shot that was saved by a Misericordia defender, junior Kim Davis swooped in and knocked in the loose ball to put FDU-Florham up 1-0.
The Devils' lead did not last long though as the Cougars came right back and netted a pair of goals off of shots from Suzhaunna Lerch and Megan Yeager.
In the 40th minute, Lerch had the ball and sent it into the circle, where Lindsay Hischak put a touch pass on it and sent it over to Jennifer O'Neill, who buried the shot to give Misericordia the 3-1 advantage.
A little under the midway point of the second half, the Devils were threatening to score with the ball deep in Misericordia territory. After earning a penalty corner, Davis placed the ball to the top of the circle and senior Stephanie Geskes dished it over to freshman Makayla Pak and she caged her first collegiate goal.
There was a shift in momentum following the Pak score. The Devils applied a heavy offensive attack and as the Cougars struggled to clear the ball from their end of the field, the Devils pounced. After a Chrissy Penney shot was saved and kicked back into play by the Misericordia goalkeeper, Angela Pasquini, Grotyohann rifled the ball into the back of the cage to knot the game up at 3-3.
As the final horn sounded, the score remained 3-3 and the game was headed into overtime.
The opening overtime stanza was electric as the Devils looked to seal the game within the first few minutes. However, Pasquini recorded two crucial saves to keep the score even.
The Cougars dominated the first overtime period outshooting the Devils 8-3, but Defnet was up for the challenge and she sent away all four of the Misericordia shots that were placed on goal. The senior goalkeeper continued to shut down the Cougars' attack and racked up two more saves to open up the second overtime period.
In the 89th minute, junior Erin O'Connell saw an opening and rifled a shot, but it went just wide of the net. The Devils had another tremendous scoring opportunity in 93rd minute when freshman Brooke Sherwin had the ball on the right side of the field and sent a shot at the Cougars' cage, but Pasquini stuck her leg out just in time to prevent it from going in.
Misericordia went on to regain possession and as Samantha Partington was dribbling the ball down the field, she passed it ahead to O'Neill. On'Neill took it to her right side and ripped a shot that went past a diving Defnet for the game-winner.
