Conroy's goal lifts Panthers in Little East opener 

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior Kristina Conroy (Wakefield, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal 7:26 into overtime Saturday afternoon at Arold Field to lift Plymouth State University over Salem State University, 2-1, in the first Little East Conference field hockey game of the season for both teams.

            Salem State led 1-0 at halftime but PSU pulled out the victory when freshman Lauren Carroll (Rollinsford, N.H.) scored her first career goal with 3:29 remaining in regulation, and Conroy tallied her second of the season in overtime to win it.  PSU is now 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference while Salem State is 1-1 and 0-1.

            Plymouth State had a slim 5-3 advantage in shots in the first half, but the Vikings scored the only goal when sophomore Erin Shea (Spencer, Mass.) found the back of the net at the 21:26 mark.  PSU also had a 7-3 margin in shots in the second half but couldn't score until Carroll's goal in the closing minutes of regulation.  The Panthers ended the game with a 14-7 shot advantage and 12-3 bulge on penalty corners.

            PSU scored both of its goals on penalty corners.  Junior Lauren Bergeron (New Hampton, N.H.) fired a shot on goal that was saved by Viking goalie Jessica McKenna (Rowley, Mass.), but Carroll knocked in the rebound.  In the overtime session, PSU junior Brittany Treichel (Clinton, Conn.) fired a shot on goal that McKenna saved, but this time Conroy pounced on the rebound and knocked it in for the Panther victory.

            McKenna finished with seven saves for Salem State, while junior Elyse Sedgley (Hopkinton, N.H.) and sophomore Hilary Lemelin (Milan, N.H.) combined to make three saves for PSU.

            Plymouth State plays its next four games on the road, beginning Wednesday with a non-conference encounter at Lasell College (4:00 p.m.)  Salem State returns home to host Becker College Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. 

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