Wheaton field hockey drops overtime heartbreaker to UMass-Dartmouth

September 14, 2006

NORTON, MA- Sophomore Rebecca Stephens' (North Andover, MA/North Andover) goal 8:03 into the first overtime period sent University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth past host Wheaton College field hockey, 3-2 on Thursday afternoon at Clark Field. The Lyons fell to 4-2, while the Corsairs are undefeated at 4-0.

The visitors staked themselves to a 2-0 lead with 12:04 left in the first half, as juniors Caitlin DiCecca (Chelmsford, MA/Chelmsford) and Jacqueline Janda (Sterling, MA/Tahanto Regional) scored exactly 11 minutes apart. DiCecca tallied after grabbing a rebound off Wheaton senior goalkeeper Mary Catherine Boll's (Columbus, IN/Miss Porter's School) save, while Janda scored while falling down near the post after a scramble.

Wheaton regrouped, tying the contest during a 1:38 span right before halftime. Following junior Lyndsie Ryalls' (Branford, CT/Branford) touch on a penalty corner, freshman Hanna Landis (Cape Elizabeth, ME/Cape Elizabeth) fired home her first collegiate tally. With 5:31 to go in the period, Ryalls followed a save by UMass-Dartmouth senior keeper Liz Fitzgerald (Danvers, MA/Danvers) with a shot over the netminder's right shoulder.

The Corsairs recorded the best scoring chances in the second half, with the golden opportunity coming with 21:59 remaining when senior Robin Dziedzic (Palmer, MA/Palmer) was awarded a penalty stroke. However, Boll knocked the ball down with her right pad to preserve the deadlock, and the teams played on.

UMass-Dartmouth controlled the flow of the first overtime period, pinning Wheaton in its own end for the better part of the first six minutes and holding advantages of 7-0 in shots and 5-0 in penalty corners. With nearly eight minutes gone, DiCecca slid a pass across the crease, which a sliding Boll got a stick on before an unmarked Stephens found a wide open cage.

For the game, Wheaton was outshot, 24-18. Boll stopped 15 shots, including four during the frenzied overtime, while Fitzgerald turned away nine Lyon shots. Ryalls finished with three points and moved into a tie for second in program history for career assists (12), alone into sixth for points (48) and into a tie for ninth in goals (18).

The Lyons travel to the Seven Sisters Tournament at Swarthmore College (PA) this weekend for three games in two days. Wheaton takes on the host on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. before facing either Smith College or Vassar College at 3:00 p.m. The Blue and White finishes up play with one contest on Sunday.

SCORING: 1st 2nd OT Final
UMass-Dartmouth (4-0) 2 0 1 3
Wheaton (4-2) 2 0 0 2

1st Half: UMD- Caitlin DiCecca (Robin Dziedzic) 11:56, Jacqueline Janda (unassisted) 22:56; WC- Hanna Landis (Lyndsie Ryalls) 27:51, Ryalls (Cassie Abel) 29:29

OT: UMD- Rebecca Stephens (DiCecca) 78:03

Goalie Saves: WC- Mary Catherine Boll 15; UMD- Liz Fitzgerald 9

Shots: WC- 18; UMD- 24

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