(Box Score) 

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Junior Torey Van Ahnen (Seekonk, Mass.) scored on the final round of penalty strokes Saturday afternoon to lift Fitchburg State College past Plymouth State University, 1-0, in Little East Conference field hockey action at Arold Field. 

            The Falcons remain tied for first in conference play, improving to 7-1 in the LEC and 10-3 overall.  This win marks the third penalty stroke victory for FSC in the past two weeks. The Panthers fall to 4-4 in the LEC and 8-5 overall.

            Both goalies were outstanding through 100 minutes of regulation, as PSU outshot Fitchburg State in the game, 17-7.  Fitchburg junior goalie Taylor Van Ahnen (Seekonk, Mass.) made 10 saves to pick up the shut-out win, while Panther freshman goalie Hannah Sawyer (Kingston, N.H.) made three saves in the losing effort.

              The first half was a defensive battle with the play staying in the middle of the field most of the half.  Although no real scoring opportunities arose for either team, the Panthers finished the half with five shots and the Falcons one.

            Plymouth State had a chance to get on the board midway through the second half when senior Cortney Colligan (Brookfield, N.H.) fired off a shot on a penalty corner but it was deflected by the Falcon goal keeper.  Moments later off another penalty corner, senior Morgan Lemmon (Gilford, N.H.) put a shot on net but the ball was saved again.  The 0-0 tie headed to overtime.

            The Panther offense kept up the pressure in the first overtime taking six shots to none for the Falcons, but none found the back of the net.  The best chance PSU had to score in overtime was when sophomore Christina Parisi (Hampton Falls, N.H.) couldn't convert a 2-on-1 with senior Kerry D'Ambroise (Lowell, Mass.).  Fitchburg State made a last ditch effort in the closing minutes of the second overtime, firing off six shots, none ending the game.

            Each team failed to score on their first four penalty stroke attempts until Van Ahnen put the game winning shot in the left corner to seal the win for the Falcons.

             Plymouth State will wrap up its three-game home stand Wednesday against Southern Maine at 3:30 p.m.  FSC will travel to play under the lights at Westfield State Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. 

By John Andersch, Student Assistant 

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