PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Ellie Monahan (Watertown, Mass.) scored on a breakaway 6:21 into overtime, while freshman goalie
Natalie Merrick (East Longmeadow, Mass.) made 15 saves to lead Plymouth State University past New England College, 2-1, in non-conference field hockey action at Panther Field on Wednesday afternoon.
Monahan set up sophomore
Lexi Berrettini (Lake Bluff, Ill.) for a second-quarter goal, but NEC tied things up in the third. The Pilgrims controlled play during the fourth quarter, outshooting PSU 9-2, though Merrick stood tall – including a huge stop in the closing seconds – to send the game to overtime.
NEC earned a penalty corner with four minutes left in the extra frame, but freshman
Cassidy Leger (Bellingham, Mass.) disrupted the play and fired an outlet to sophomore
Georgia Coleman (North Conway, N.H.) up the left side. Coleman hit Monahan in stride, and the senior outraced the lone defender before slotting home the game-winner.
The win is PSU's fourth straight, improving the Panthers to 4-3. NEC falls to 5-3.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 2, NEC 1 (OT)
- Plymouth State (4-3)
- NEC (5-3)
How it Happened:
- The first quarter featured back-and-forth action, but neither team had any true scoring chances.
- PSU broke through in the 26th minute when senior Katie Porrello (Milford, Conn.) intercepted a pass near midfield and fed Monahan on the right side. Monahan split two defenders before dropping a pass to Berrettini, who ripped a shot inside the left post for a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
- NEC evened the score in the 37th minute, converting on the second of back-to-back penalty corners.
- Early in the fourth, Merrick turned aside a dangerous NEC chance.
- With under a minute left in regulation, Merrick came up huge – kicking away a shot from the left and then making a blocker save with 17 seconds left to preserve the tie.
- In overtime, NEC applied early pressure and earned a penalty corner, but Leger's defensive stop led to the breakout that set up Monahan's game-winner.
By the Numbers:
- Berrettini's tally marked the first goal of her career.
- Monahan finished with a goal and an assist, just one point shy of her career high.
- Merrick registered 15 saves, her third game this season with double-digit stops.
- Junior Sarah Adamske (Windham, N.H.) and senior Kyla Napolitano (Warwick, R.I.) added key defensive saves.
- NEC outshot PSU 18-7 and held a 13-8 edge in penalty corners.
- PSU now leads the all-time series, 22-10. The Pilgrims had won four of the last five meetings.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State hosts Johnson & Wales on Tuesday (Sept. 30) at 4:00 p.m.
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