Sept. 21, 2008
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
OXFORD, Ohio - After holding a 2-0 lead at the half, the Miami University field hockey team still found itself in need of some late-game heroics against the University of the Pacific Tigers on Sunday afternoon at the Miami Turf Field.
The RedHawks would find those heroics in a likely place, senior co-captain Elizabeth Gilroy scored less than a minute into overtime to give Miami its sixth win of the season through eight contests with score of 3-2.
"It happened so fast that I can barely remember what happened. It was pretty much just instinct," said Gilroy, who registered the goal during 7-on-7, sudden victory play.
Gilroy would finally recall how the game-winning shot played out, ending in her team-high fifth goal of the season.
"There was a lot more room in the circle because they can only defend with four. Katie Brightwell passed me the ball and Kate Snyder made a nice lane wide open for me. I saw the shot and just took it. It is pretty exciting."
Miami head coach Jill Reeve, while pleased with the mark in the win column for the RedHawks was not completely happy with the hosts' execution at the Miami Turf Field on Sunday.
"We were basically sparing the whole game and never got into the fight until the overtime and then we decided that we wanted to play. I am happy about the result, but our team is disappointed because we have a lot more to offer," said Reeve.
Miami, who outshot the Tigers 25-9 in the game, did open the game's scoring when junior forward Mary Hull, playing against her sister Hayley who is a forward to the Tigers, scored off a cross from Snyder to open the game's scoring in the 17th minute.
After a covering penalty on Pacific, who was playing its third game in five days, Katie Brightwell would score on a penalty stroke, beating UP's keeper Christina Niccum low to the left side.
Reeve and the RedHawks, however, would see an invigorated Tiger attack in the second half.
"Pacific felt like they needed to make their own luck and they did," Reeve said about the Tigers coming out of the break. "The two goals that they scored, they really created something out of nothing and went after it."
With three saves in 70 minutes of play, senior Megan Stengel saw her second action of the year and made the most out of her opportunity, stopping three Pacific shots to ensure the extra frame.
"She did a really nice job," said the Miami mentor about Stengel's play. "The two goals that Pacific developed were good goals. I was really happy with her performance. She has been working hard and it was good to see her in the cage today."
Stengel agreed with Reeve that the pace and feel of the game was a bit unusual. "It was a little bit of a weird game. We wanted to come out a little more on top than in overtime. For me, I worked really hard to get out there. I try to do as much as I can and I think I did pretty well," said the senior.
Freshman Abbey Huck would relieve Stengal in goal in the extra period, but saw only 42-seconds of action and no shots before Gilroy's goal.
Stengel spoke about the RedHawks' three talented goalkeepers in Huck, junior Kelsey Dean and herself.
"Most of the time it is really good because you learn from each other. It is good competition, because you are always trying to out-do each other. All three of us are really good. We balance each other out and help each other. It is hard on game days when two are on the side and one is on. We try to give each other support and be good teammates to each other and support whoever is on the field."
If Stengel and the rest of the RedHawks keep that same attitude and learn from games such as this one where they did not show their best play, but still found a way to win, then Miami field hockey fans could be in for a fun and exciting Mid-American Conference season which begins on Saturday at Missouri State.
"We want to come out of this game and show the other schools what we have got," Stengel ended.
The RedHawks game against Missouri State will begin at 11 a.m. CT in Springfield, Mo. Miami's MAC home opener is on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 11 a.m.
