WEST HAVEN, Conn. – After forcing extra time on a fourth quarter goal from senior Abby Nixon (Wrentham, Mass./King Phillip Regional), the New Haven field hockey team came up short in the sudden death overtime to the visiting Southern Connecticut State University Owls. With the decision, New Haven falls to 4-7 overall and 3-3 in the Northeast-10 Conference.
All three of the Chargers goals came from different players, led by senior Kelli Jacobson (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) who finished with a goal and an assist. Emma Beaujouan (Concord, N.H./Concord) and Nixon provided the remaining two goals, while Pagie Garrett and Erin Smith (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) each added an assist.
New Haven would get on the board first, converting on a penalty corner, with Jacobson hitting the back board just over 2:30 into the action. The senior defender scored on a one-timer off the insertion from Garrett. Southern Connecticut would answer back in the eighth minute and add another less than two minutes later to take their first lead of the game at 2-1.
Beaujouan wasn't going to let that lead last very long as she knotted the score at two 63 seconds after the Owls took the lead. Jacobson would play a part in the second goal of the game as well, this time providing the pass that allowed Beaujouan to drill a shot off the backboard.
The Owls would take a 3-2 advantage into the locker room at the half time break and the score would remain the same until just inside the 10 minute mark in the fourth quarter when Trammel and Nixon pushed ahead of the Owls defense on a breakaway opportunity with Nixon closing out the play with a shot that found the back of the cage.
New Haven had the first opportunity in the extra frame, forcing a penalty corner however the Owls defense stood strong and turned the tide on a quick sprint down the far side with Keana Criscuolo redirecting a cross into the cage for the game-winning goal.
The Chargers controlled the tempo through much of the game, leading the Owls 16-7 in the shot column, with 10 of those shots marked on goal, forcing the Owls keeper to make seven saves. On the opposite end, starting goalkeeper Cara Lambert (Sutton, Mass./Sutton Memorial) and Kline who entered at the half would be tested just once with Kline securing the lone save.
The Chargers will return to action over the weekend when they head to the Granite State to take on Southern New Hampshire in Manchester, N.H. The NE10 tussle is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start with all of the action available live on NE10 Now on Flo Sports.
