Miami University
University of California
RedHawks Fall to No. 14 California in Double Overtime
9/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Sept. 29, 2006
OXFORD, Ohio -- Freshman Mary Hull (San Diego, Calif.) scored twice and sophomore goalkeeper Megan Stengel (Louisville, Ky.) made nine saves, but for the fourth time this season, the Miami University field hockey team came out on the wrong end of an overtime contest, as the RedHawks dropped a 4-3 double-overtime decision to No. 14 California on Friday. The loss dropped Miami's record in one-goal games to 0-6 on the season, including an 0-4 mark in overtime.
Hull put the RedHawks (4-7, 1-1 MAC) on the board early with her fourth goal of the season just 4:48 into the first half. After receiving a pass from sophomore Courtney Fretz (Oley, Pa.) just inside the top of the circle, Hull dribbled past a Cal (8-2) defender before sliding the ball under a sprawling Veronica Sykes and into the cage.
Miami's lead disappeared at the 12:47 mark when Cal's Valentina Godfrid and Jennifer Crane combined on a beautiful give-and-go play off a penalty corner, with Godfrid putting the equalizer behind Stengel.
The Golden Bears continued to pressure the RedHawks offensively and took their first lead of the game six minutes after they had evened the score 1-1. Off a penalty corner, Godfrid found Gwen Belomy to the right of the net, where she found the back of the cage for a 2-1 Cal lead.
With time winding down in the first half, Miami senior Deb Leighton (Encinitas, Calif.) erased Cal's lead with her third tally of the season. Junior Taylor Florence (Louisville, Ky.) started the play with a hard shot from the right side of the net that was stopped by Sykes. The rebound landed right on the stick of Fretz, who promptly slid the ball through the crease to Leighton where she hammered it into the back of the cage with 1:00 left in the half.
Both teams came out of halftime with a renewed sense of defensive responsibility as the game remained tied until the 61st minute when Cal's Ashley Glosz beat Stengel with a hard shot from the right corner that gave the Golden Bears a 3-2 lead.
The RedHawks responded quickly to the deficit as a pair of freshmen teamed up to tie the game, 3-3, less than two minutes later. Katie Brightwell (Louisville, Ky.) forced a turnover deep in the Cal zone and worked the ball into the corner before finding Hull along the end line. Much like she did for her first goal of the afternoon, Hull shook a defender before wiring a shot on goal that deflected off the goalkeeper's pads and across the goal line, sending the game into overtime.
The first overtime solved nothing, but 3:09 into the second overtime Godfrid spoiled Miami's bid for its first overtime victory of the season when she converted on a shot from the top of the circle that narrowly eluded Stengel's outstretched pad.
Miami's returns to Mid-American Conference play on Saturday with a 1 p.m. contest versus the Central Michigan University Chippewas.
NOTES: Miami outshot Cal 19-15 and held a 9-7 edge in penalty corners ... Stengel's nine saves were two shy of tying her career high of 11, which she set earlier this season versus Ohio State ... Hull's two goals were a career high and give her three in Miami's last three contests ... Fretz tallied two assists, her first two of the season.
