Box Score Panthers fall to Bears in dramatic overtime
affair
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Junior Breanna Clement
(Pittsfield, Mass.) tallied the game-winning goal six minutes into
overtime Friday evening to lead the second-seeded Bridgewater State
University Bears to a dramatic 2-1 victory over third-seeded
Plymouth State University in the semifinals of the Little East
Conference Field Hockey Tournament at Swenson Field.
The Bears (11-7) advance to the Little East championship game on
Sunday at noon against number one seed and host UMass Dartmouth.
Bridgewater will be making the program's first appearance in
the conference tournament final. Plymouth State (12-7) will
play in the ECAC New England Tournament, which begins on Wednesday,
Nov. 10.
Clement notched the game-winner with 9:09 left in the first
overtime period. Sophomore Shelby Farland (Fiskdale, Mass.)
started the play with a long feed to an open Nicole Henrique
(Swansea, Mass.) to the left of the circle. Henrique slid a
pass to Clement in front of the net who beat the Plymouth keeper to
the bottom left side.
Just two minutes before Clement's dramatic goal, senior goaltender
Katie Weber (Arlington, Mass.) made a game-saving stop on a penalty
stroke attempt by PSU junior Lauren Bergeron (New
Hampton, N.H.).
The Panthers in fact were unable to convert on two penalty strokes
as junior Erin Norris (Hilton, N.Y.) missed wide
left with just under 10 minutes remaining in regulation with PSU
leading 1-0.
Bridgewater tied the game as sophomore Megan Cullinane (Lunenburg,
Mass.) converted a fast break opportunity for the Bears as she
knocked in a cross from Clement with 4:11 left in regulation.
Plymouth State played a stifling defense and dominated play up
until Cullinane's game-tying goal. The Panthers held a 26-8
shot advantage for the contest as well as a 19-3 edge in penalty
corners.
PSU got on the board early as freshman Jackie
Morin (Scarborough, Maine) scored off a feed from senior
Kristina Conroy (Wakefield, Mass.) just 1:44 into
the game.
Weber was brilliant between the pipes for the Bears as she turned
aside 13 shots to post her 11th win of the season. Sophomore
Hilary Lemelin (Milan, N.H.) made four saves in
goal for the Panthers.
(Courtesy of Bridgewater State Sports
Information)
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