By Alyssa Gehris, Staff Writer
Susquehanna field hockey team claimed their fifth win overall and first conference win of the season with a 3–2 over-time win at Goucher on Saturday, Sept. 30 on Beldon field.
This win gave Susquehanna a 1–1 conference standing and a 5–5 standing overall.
Senior midfielder Cayla Spatz led the team with two goals. Goals for the game started first with Spatz as she scored unassisted in the first five minutes of the game.
Goucher’s Valerie Mendoza tied the score with an unassisted goal right before the end of the first half around 27 minutes into the game.
Freshman forward Maya Belin then scored the second goal for Goucher in the second half to bring them to a 2–1 lead.
Later on in the second half, Susquehanna freshman attack Maddie Taylor scored the game-tying goal, with an assist from sophomore attack Hunter Pitman, to bring the game into overtime.
The first half of overtime went without any change of score. It wasn’t until a corner penalty during the second half, that Spatz was given the opportunity for a shot from the top of the circle in order to give the River Hawks their game-winning goal.
With 1:48 left in overtime, Spatz scored the final goal to bring the River Hawks to their 3–2 victory.
Goucher put up a fight with 22 shots on goal however, Susquehanna goalkeeper Emily DiGaetano fought back with a recorded 13 saves.
Seven of Goucher’s shots on goal Digaetano was able to save were in the regulation game and the other six shots saved by the Susquehanna goalkeeper were in the overtime period.
Susquehanna had a total of nine shots on goal and Goucher goalkeeper Quichey Johnson had two saves throughout the game.
The River Hawks also picked up another win this week, this time against non- conference foe Misericordia in overtime by a 4-3 final score.
Pittman scored the game-winning goal for Susquehanna just over ten minutes into the overtime period off of a penalty corner and assist from freshman attack Jess Smith. Pittman also led the River Hawks in shots on the day with seven.
DiGaetano led Susquehanna with seven saves in goal.
Both teams were about the same in offensive pressure as each team had 14 shots and around 10 shots on goal. The River Hawks however had a drastic lead in penalty corners 15-8.
With the two victories Susquehanna improves to 6-5 overall.
The River Hawks will be back in action for a Landmark Conference game at home on Saturday, Oct. 7 against Scranton.
Scranton currently is undefeated this season with a perfect 11-0 record and are 2-0 in Landmark Conference play. This is the best start in program history for the Royals’ field hockey team.
Their last game was a 2-1 victory at home against Albright.
Senior forward Meredith Campbell scored the eventual game-winner for the Royals in the 43rd minute.