CLINTON, N.Y. Two consecutive goals and assists for the
Ephs (2-7) by Margie Fulton and Betsy Hart,
respectively, in the first frame was not enough to fight off a
second half and subsequent overtime comeback by Hamilton (9-1) in
Wednesday night's non-conference match. After tallying two
goals in the second period to tie the score, Continental first-year
Nikki Haskins scored the game-winner just under five minutes into
the first overtime giving nationally ranked Hamilton its seventh
consecutive win on the season.
Both teams came out strong in the first half tallying 7 shots
each, but Williams found the back of the net on 2 of the 7 raising
the score to a 2-0 lead going into the second despite their 6-1
penalty corner disadvantage for the first frame. At 11:02
junior Margie Fulton (Wellesley, Mass.) put the ball in the cage
off an assist by first-year and first time starter Betsey Hart (New
Canaan, Conn.). The pair found the net for a second time two
minutes later at 13:02 building on the Ephs one point
lead.
Williams held on to the two-point advantage going into the
second half, but Hamilton's renewed intensity was sufficient to
clinch two goals in the latter period sending the game into
overtime. Just over three minutes into the half at 38:05
junior Continental Caitlin Livsey found the back of the net
unassisted reducing the 2 point disparity to 1. More than
twenty minutes passed before one more of Hamilton's 11 shots of the
second half made its way past Eph senior goalie Katrina Tulla (New
Canaan, Conn.). The goal was made by Colleen Collaghan off a
pass by junior Erin McNally bringing the score to a 2-2 draw at
59:06. The competition was sent into sudden-victory overtime
when neither team scored in the remaining ten minutes. The
Ephs totaled 5 shots for the half while the Continentals had a 9-2
penalty corner edge.
With the start of overtime, Hamilton's intensity peaked tallying
3 shots and acquiring 3 penalty corners for the 5 minute
period. 4:55 into overtime the Continentals clinched the 3-2
win when Nikki Haskins scored the game winning goal raising
Hamilton to a 9-1 record on the season.
Tulla tallied 8 saves and 3 goals allowed for the 74:55 minutes
played in the cage while first-year Continental goalkeeper Molly
Brooks had 4 saves and 2 goals allowed.
"Getting on the board in the first half was an encouraging
start, but it is never fun to give up the lead. It is a
difficult loss, but we can use it to our advantage in forming
strategies for improving and honing our consistency," commented
Alix Barrale on the match.
Williams plays again at home this Saturday against Bowdoin at
11AM.
