An incredible team effort and
Elizabeth Law's Golden Goal helped the Rangers overcome some goaltending heroics by Stevens' Ellyn Griggs to upset the #15 Ducks, 3-2.
Drew trailed 2-0 early in the first half before rallying to force overtime through
Meghan Howlett's goal late in the second half.
After Griggs singlehandedly kept the Rangers at bay throughout the OT periods, Law, thanks to a great play by
Nicole DiBattista, won it in the 95
th minute of play.
Drew improves to 9-3 on the season while the Ducks fall to 9-2.
After 12 minutes of play, the guests took a 1-0 lead following a penalty corner. Rutkowski made the initial save of Lauren Griggs' shot, but Meghan Broderick was on hand to slam home the rebound.
The Ducks got their second off another corner as well. In the 15th minute of play, Stef Rutkowski made a save before the rebound fell to Mary Nikish to the right of goal. Nikish crossed back to the far post where Kara Borzillo crashed home.
A flurry in the 23rd minute of play saw the Rangers mount their first serious attack. Ellyn Griggs made three consecutive saves to deny Elizabeth Law, DiBattista and Hannah Rau in quick succession in a sign of things to come.
Drew did breech the Ducks defense in the 25th. Off a penalty corner, Kati Eggert picked out Nicole DiBattista at the top of the circle. The senior took one touch before crushing her shot into the back of the net to make it 2-1.
Hannah Rau came up big in the 43rd minute with a sweeping defensive save to deny Mallory Swanson a sure goal. The action packed second half came to its culmination with just eight minutes left to play. Another perfectly executed corner from the Rangers tied the score at 2-2. Eggert inserted to Melissa Kistle who stopped for DiBattista to fire towards goal. Howlett's redirection found the net to equalize. It would be the final goal of regulation as the game slipped into overtime.
DiBattista made a great play to deny the Ducks early in the first overtime period, tracking back to make a last second steal. Drew had a great chance just a few minutes later, but DiBattista's pass was unmet as it ran across the face of the goal and neither team found the net in the first 15.
Drew completely dominated the first ten minutes of the second overtime period, but Griggs came up with one huge save after another. In the ten minute span from the start of the second OT to Law's game-winner, Griggs made ten saves, all of the highest quality. The Rangers were finally able to get the Golden Goal and the upset with just 4:10 left in the period.
The play began when Delia Barr won a ball in the Ranger half to stall a Duck attack. After a restart, the Rangers swung the ball wide to the left before swinging it all the way back across the field to Stacie Brown near the right sideline. Brown slotted a pass to DiBattista in the middle who pushed it forward to Law alone with Griggs inside the circle. Having been denied six times in overtime already, Law avoided Griggs by knocking it back across goal for a streaking DiBattista. The pass asked just a bit too much of the midfielder in her 95th minute of play, but DiBattista laid out to chip the ball back towards goal where Griggs came up with a miraculous diving save. The rebound fell to Law inches away from the line; the senior punched it home, though not before having her first attempt blocked. Half the Rangers celebrated with Law while the other half tended to the crumpled DiBattista as the crowd went wild at Ranger Stadium.
The game was an even contest through the first 70 minutes of play before the Rangers dominated the overtime periods. If not for Griggs the match would have ended sooner, but the same could be said for the Ranger back line in particular Hannah Rau who had a terrific game in defense for the Rangers.
The win is the Rangers' fifth straight and certainly their biggest non-conference win of the season. It also gives Drew some serious momentum heading into a key Landmark contest against Scranton on Saturday.
#15 Stevens Tech vs Drew Rangers (Oct 07, 2009 at Madison, NJ)
Stevens Tech (9-2) vs. Drew Rangers (9-3)
Date: Oct 07, 2009 Attendance: 178
Weather: cool, cold
Goals by period 1 2 OT O2 Tot
-------------------------------------
Stevens Tech........ 2 0 0 0 - 2
Drew Rangers........ 1 1 0 1 - 3
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 11:31 SITFH Meghan Broderick (unassisted)
2. 15:17 SITFH Kara Borzillo (Mary Nikish) - 6 cross from right, 22
3. 24:43 DREW Nicole DiBattista (Kati Eggert) - blast from top off corner
4. 61:54 DREW Meghan Howlett (Nicole DiBattista) - pc, 13 to 1, stops to 21, shot tipped in by 7
5. 95:50 DREW Elizabeth Law (unassisted) - third try, Law finishes on the line after great play by 21
Shots: Stevens Tech 7, Drew Rangers 22
Saves: Stevens Tech 18 (Ellyn Griggs 18), Drew Rangers 3 (Stef
Rutkowski 2; Lauren Fasano 1)
