For Immediate Release
October 4, 2007
Wellesley Sports Information
Contact: Lauren Ferrett
Wellesley Field Hockey Falls in Overtime to Wesleyan
Box Score
MIDDLETOWN, CT - Senior Amanda Nickels scored her fifth goal of the season to make a winner of Wesleyan 4:49 into sudden-death overtime. Wesleyan survived strong pressure from Wellesley during the opening four minutes of the extra frame, including a shot by first-year Kathryn Frett which Wesleyan midfielder sophomore Alexa David made a defensive save on waist-high one minute into the stanza.
On Wesleyan's first rush up field, the ball was passed from left to right, eventually onto the stick of Nickels at a sharp angle on the right. Her sweeping shot was tipped high into the air by a Wellesley stick and landed behind junior goalie Emily Hewitt for the game-winner.
Wellesley had tied the game after one of its six second-half penalty corners (10 in the game to four by Wesleyan) resulted in a scramble on the right side. Junior Katie Sang pushed the ball toward first-year Madeline Block, who finished the play with 3:33 left in regulation with her fourth goal of the year.
Wesleyan had taken a 1-0 advantage on junior Hailey Sarage's fourth goal of the year as she tipped in a ball touched in the circle by freshman teammate Nat Galgano after David carried the ball up the right side and sent it into the circle. That came with 3:02 showing on the first-half clock.
Wesleyan goalie sophomore Breen McDonald made seven saves in the contest including stopping a first-half penalty shot by Frett with her blocker pad. Hewitt made two saves as Wellesley enjoyed a 12-6 margin in total shots.
This was the 18th meeting between the teams as they have played virtually each year since 1989. Of the 18 games, 12 have been decided by one goal, 10 of those in overtime. Wellesley leads the series 11-6-1.