MANCHESTER, N.H. – The New Haven field hockey team had been on a winning streak in their past four games and undefeated within conference play thus far in the season. This afternoon the Chargers headed back on the road to take on the Penmen of Southern New Hampshire, where that winning streak came to an unfortunate end in a shootout.
The Chargers and the Penmen kept it an almost equal match throughout the entirety of the game, in almost all categories. Pushing the offensive on both sides, the Chargers were able to find the first goal of the game. In the seventh minute, graduate Sophie Schreck (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) pushed the ball up the field to the Penmen defensive circle, where she was able to connect with freshman Erin Smith (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South). Smith, in the circle, made a pull to the right, beating goalkeeper Emma Peeters, and pushed the ball towards net. A Southern New Hampshire defensive back attempted to stop the ball; however, she was unable to catch the ball before it crossed over the line for the first goal of the game.
It was not until the second period where the Penmen would find the first equalizer, on a goal from Eliza Bates in the 23rd minute of the game. From then on it would be a hard-fought battle to attempt to find the goal that would put either team ahead.
After almost 20 minutes of back-and-forth effort from both sides, the Chargers would finally find the net again in the 40th minute, to push them to a 2-1 lead. On a penalty corner, junior inserter Katherine Trammel, would find Kelli Jacobson (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) at the top of the circle, for a straight shot. That shot would pass right through the Penmen defense, and find its way to the backboard, for Jacobson's fourth goal of the season.
With the 2-1 lead, the Penmen pushed to find yet another equalizer, however they would be shut down by the Chargers defense. In the 52nd minute of the game, Southern New Hampshire's Taylor Marchman would find the tying goal for the Penman, sending the game into overtime.
With a ten-minute overtime period, both teams pushing their hardest to find the sudden death goal, however neither team would end the game, and a second overtime would begin. The Chargers tallied up two shots in both overtime periods, and one penalty corner, while the defense would allow the game to be decided by shootout.
The Chargers would only make it to three out of five players to take a one on one with the Penmen's goalkeeper, but after three successful tries by the Penmen, the game came to a decision favoring Southern New Hampshire.
The Chargers tallied 18 total shots, 12 of which were on goal. Sophomore Johannah Lee (State College, Pa./State College Area) leading New Haven with five total shots, three of which were placed on goal. Jacobson and Schreck both finished with two shots for the Chargers. Graduate goalkeeper Kierra Integlia had a total of four saves on the day.
The Chargers will continue road play against the Spartans of Saint Thomas Aquinas on Tuesday, October 25th with a start time of 2:30 p.m.
