CASTLETON, Vt. – Senior
Athena Comeau (Rutland, Mass.) tallied two goals and an assist, with her second goal coming 1:20 into overtime, to lift Plymouth State University over Vermont State University Castleton, 3-2, in a Little East Conference (LEC) field hockey game at Dave Wolk Stadium on Wednesday night.
With the win the Panthers lock up the third seed for next week's LEC Tournament.
The hosts got on the board first just 5:20 into the contest when they fired a shot from the outside that hit traffic in front of PSU senior goalie
Kayla Antonucci (Windham, N.H.) and found a Spartan player alone for the early lead. The Panthers answered back just over five minutes later when senior
Taylor Healey (Campton, N.H.) came streaking through the middle of the field and beat a Castleton defender wide. She sent a pass across the front of the net that found Comeau, who slid it to classmate
Mackenzie Labrie (Canaan, N.H.) to tie the game.
Comeau scored her first of the night early in the third quarter on a penalty corner. Freshman
Sarah Adamske (Windham, N.H.) inserted a pass to Comeau and she fired it through traffic for the Panthers' first lead of the game. The Spartans evened it up with just under ten minutes remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime.
Early in the extra session, graduate student
Alessia Salzillo (Saugus, Mass.) flipped a ball up in the air toward the goal from just outside the shooting circle. The ball eluded the Spartans' goaltender and Comeau was there to cash in on the rebound to lift the Panthers to the 3-2 win.
Plymouth State rises to 10-5 (3-2 LEC), while VTSU Castleton drops to 9-7 (2-3 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, VTSU Castleton 2 (OT)
- Plymouth State (10-5, 3-2 LEC)
- VTSU Castleton (9-7, 2-3 LEC)
How it Happened:
- VTSU Castleton got on the board first just over five minutes in.
- Labrie scored her 11th of the season to tie the score later in the first quarter.
- The first half ended with things knotted at one.
- Just 4:03 into the third, Comeau scored on a penalty corner when she ripped a shot through traffic.
- Antonucci and the Pnathers' defense played strong, limiting Castleton's opportunities.
- The hosts tied things up with just under ten minutes remaining.
- Early in overtime, PSU came up empty on two penalty corners.
- Moments after the second penalty corner attempt, Salzillo found the ball near the shotting circle. She backed up and flipped the ball toward the Spartans' goal and Comeau pounced on the rebound for the 3-2 win.
By the Numbers:
- Comeau scored two goals and added an assist. She ranks second on the team in both categories.
- Labrie's score was her 11th of the season.
- Antonucci made eight saves on ten shots.
- PSU held advantages of 23-18 in shots and 13-10 in shots on goal for the game.
- With the win, PSU clinches the #3 seed for the LEC Tournament. The Panthers will host the sixth seed in a first round game on Oct. 31.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State hosts Eastern Connecticut for a Senior Day contest on Saturday (Oct. 28) at noon.
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