ECAC DIVISION III FIELD HOCKEY TOURNAMENT - Wheaton advances to first final with 1-0 win in double overtime over WNEC, Dimick sets points record

November 11, 2006

NORTON, MA--- Junior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME/Greely) scored the game's lone goal in the 93rd minute to propel the second-seeded Wheaton College field hockey team past number three Western New England College, 1-0 in double overtime during an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament semifinal on Saturday at Clark Field.

The Lyons are now 15-7, while the Golden Bears' season ends at 14-9. The goal was Dimick's 18th of the season and gave her 47 points this fall, eclipsing Maureen Reynolds' '88 school record of 46 set in 1987.

Wheaton advances to face top-seeded Endicott College tomorrow in Beverly at 1:00 p.m. The Gulls were 3-0 winners over number four Worcester State College in Saturday's other semifinal. After winning their first-ever ECAC Tournament game today, the Lyons look to corral their inaugural ECAC title tomorrow.

The Lyons outshot the Golden Bears, 20-7 during regulation, but the visitors held the majority of the scoring opportunities. Senior Shea Clarke (Bellingham, MA/Bellingham) had the hosts' best chances during the game's first five minutes, sending two shots toward the cage, one of which was blocked while the other went wide. With less than 12 minutes remaining in the opening half, sophomore Samantha Hensen (Branchville, NJ/High Point Regional) was stopped by Wheaton senior keeper Mary Catherine Boll (Columbus, IN/Miss Porter's School) on a point-blank shot as the two converged 10 yards from the cage. Boll made another big save with 8:20 left in the second stanza, stopping senior Allison Jameson's (Brattleboro, VT/Brattleboro Union) blast off a penalty corner. The shot was Western New England's only one of the half, as the Lyons held a 10-1 advantage.

In overtime, Dimick nearly ended the game 2:20 into the first session but backhanded a shot wide during a three-on-one break. Sophomore Brenna Fitzgerald (Manchester, NH/Manchester Central) was stopped twice by Boll midway through the period, and a pair of Golden Bears sent shots wide later in the frame. During the second extra stanza, Hensen was stopped by Boll less than a minute in before the Lyons came down the field and nearly ended the contest. Freshman Alex Block (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) redirected Clarke's long hit toward the cage with less than three minutes gone, but junior keeper Emilie Donka (White River Junction, VT/Hartford) stopped the attempt. Hensen returned the favor with 10 minutes remaining, pushing her breakaway shot just wide as Boll came charging toward her.

With 9:37 showing on the clock in the second overtime, Dimick was turned away by Donka before ending the contest exactly two minutes later. After beating the defense on the endline, Dimick dragged the ball in front of Donka on the close post and sent home the game-winner at the 92:23 mark.

Wheaton finished with a 27-15 advantage in shots, while the Golden Bears held a 10-9 edge in penalty corners. Boll stopped 10 shots for her fourth shutout of the season, and Donka had 13 saves.

SCORING: 1st 2nd OT 2OT Final
WNEC (14-9) 0 0 0 0 0
Wheaton (15-7) 0 0 0 1 1

2nd OT: WC- Sara Dimick (unassisted) 92:23

Goalie Saves: WC- Mary Catherine Boll 10; WNEC- Emilie Donka 13

Shots: WC- 27; WNEC- 15

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