Box Score
October 27, 2009
Field Hockey Women Clip Seahawks In Double OT
Senior Alyssa Derstine hit two goals, including the game winner. She has 15 scores this year.
The Eastern Mennonite field hockey women hosted St. Mary's (Md.) Tuesday to wrap up the regular season. The Lady Royals had already clinched the second seed in the postseason tournament, but still fought hard in the non-conference tilt and claimed a 4-3 win in double overtime.
Alyssa Derstine (Telford, Pa./Christopher Dock) attacked quickly and scored just 3:10 into the contest. But the Seahawks came right back with a goal from Brooke Masimore a minute and a half later to tie the game.
In the 24th minute, Linda Cimini (Cape May, NJ/Middle Township) put EMU back on top on a goal assisted by Sarah Roth (Harrisonburg, Va./Lancaster Mennonite). But the visitors equalized again on a score from Ali McIntosh in the 26th minute. Neither team scored again in the half and it stayed 2-2 at the break.
St. Mary's grabbed its first lead in the second half, when Lauriann Parker scored at 50:04 to make it 3-2. Trailing for the first time, EMU regrouped and attacked. Cimini scored her second of the game at 55:55 to lock it back it.
The final minutes of regulation slipped by and the game went into overtime, featuring seven-on-seven play. The Lady Royals controlled action for most of the first 15 minute frame, but couldn't score.
In the second OT, both teams had their chances. The Seahawks first got past goalie Becky Nolt (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs), but sent a shot off the post of the cage. Moments later, EMU had an open-goal look, but also had the shot deflect off the post.
The Lady Royals got another chance and finally made good when Derstine and Hailee Rittle (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) broke out on a 2-on-1. Derstine sent a cross to Rittle, who drew the defender and goalie, and then she sent it back to Derstine for an easy game-winner at 79:21.
EMU outshot St. Mary's 27-12, including 12-9 in shots on goal. Nolt finished with five saves.
The 4-3 win gives the Lady Royals a 9-7 record to close the regular season, including 6-1 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. With the second seed in the conference tourney, EMU gets a bye into the semifinals, where the women will host either Washington & Lee or Roanoke on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Tentative gametime will be 6:00pm.
