MADISON, N.J. – Sophomore
Bella Fini scored three minutes into overtime and the Drew University field hockey team earned a dramatic 3-2 victory over Susquehanna University in Landmark Conference action Saturday afternoon in Ranger Stadium.
The Rangers (7-5, 4-0 LC) stretched their winning streak to seven while staying perfect in Landmark Conference play. In addition, Drew picked up its first victory over the River Hawks since 2013, snapping Susquehanna's 11-game series winning streak.
Junior
Emily Caporrino scored a pair of goals for the Rangers and sent the game to OT when she struck during a penalty corner on the final play of regulation.
Susquehanna (3-11, 1-3 LC) went ahead 2-1 when Jada Thompson scored on a penalty stroke with 1:30 left in the game. The River Hawks were just 15 seconds away from a win and were attempting to run out the clock deep in its defensive area, but Caporrino came up with a takeaway and quickly passed the ball into the circle. Susquehanna was whistled for a foul with five seconds remaining, and senior
Liriana Seferovic's corner pass found junior
Ellie Kopec at the top of the arc. Kopec directed a pass to senior
Emma Rider, who fired a shot from the left elbow. Caporrino snuck behind the goalie and redirected the shot inside the left post to force the extra session.
With the two sides playing 7-on-7 in overtime per NCAA rules, the Rangers earned a corner in the first minute but were unable to capitalize. The River Hawks drove deep into the offensive end but a foul gave the ball back to the Rangers. Another foul resulted in a Drew restart just outside the circle, and Kopec sent in a pass to Fini, who made a single touch before turning to find daylight between herself and the goalie. She quickly slipped a shot inside the right post, and after a brief meeting between the officials, the goal was confirmed, setting off a Drew celebration on the field.
Fini's game-winner – her second in as many games – marked Drew's only lead of the day.
Susquehanna struck first, when Haley Dreisbach scored five minutes into the game. It turned out to be the only goal of the first three quarters, with the River Hawks outshooting the Rangers 13-7 over the stretch.
Drew found the equalizer five minutes into the fourth quarter on Caporrino's first goal. Kopec initiated the offense, taking a corner pass from Seferovic and firing a shot from the top that was kicked away by keeper Kylie Schmidt. But Kopec tracked down the ball and rifled another shot off Schmidt before Caporrino beat a defender to the ball and pushed it into the cage from the left post, making it a 1-1 game with 9:52 on the clock and setting up the dramatic finish.
The River Hawks finished with slight advantages in shots (17-14) and corners (9-6). Freshman
Vanessa Pennella made five saves for the Rangers while Schmidt stopped eight shots for Susquehanna.
Drew returns to action on Tuesday, when it visits Wilkes University at 7 p.m. in another Landmark Conference affair.
