Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Miami Defeats UMass-Lowell 4-3 in Double Overtime
9/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
LOWELL, Mass. -- The Miami University field hockey team dominated possession throughout the game and jumped to a 3-0 lead before three goals in the final 10 minutes allowed UMass-Lowell to send the contest into overtime. The RedHawks recovered and scored off a penalty corner in the second overtime to finish off a 4-3 victory. Miami improves to 2-2 on the season, while the River Hawks fall to 1-1.
Senior forward Geagy Pritchard had an outstanding game with her first career hat trick. She scored all of the RedHawks goals in regulation. It was the sixth multi-goal game of her career.
Miami kept the ball in the River Hawks' zone the majority of the half. Despite that, UMass-Lowell kept the RedHawks off the board until they were awarded a penalty corner in the 21st minute. On the corner, senior forward Carla Romagosa immediately found Pritchard on the pass. Pritchard then tipped the ball into the right corner of the net to give Miami a 1-0 lead.
It remained that way until the teams came out for the second half. In the 38th minute, Pritchard got free in the circle and was able to move around the UMass-Lowell goalkeeper to put it in. She completed her hat trick less than two minutes later when she dodge a defender and shot it between the goalkeeper's legs to make it 3-0.
The Red and White continued to control the ball and pile up the shots, but were unable to put another one in the net. In the 61st minute, the River Hawks got on the board by rebounding the ball into the net after senior goalkeeper Alysa Xavier had made the initial save.
With less than three minutes to go, UMass-Lowell pulled to within one off a penalty corner goal. As time expired the River Hawks were awarded another penalty corner. They used a nifty pass to find the right corner of the net and send the game into overtime tied at three.
In the overtimes, MU had the majority of the chances, enter the River Hawks 25 12 times compared to just two for Lowell. , Sophomore midfielder Paula Portugal was stopped on back-to-back chances midway through the first overtime. UMass-Lowell made a run of its own in the last few seconds of the period, but Xavier was up to the task with a kick save.
The RedHawks hit another post early in the second overtime. Keeping the pressure up, Miami was awarded a penalty corner in the 91st minute. On the corner attempt, junior back Mariona Heras found Portugal in the middle of the circle with a behind-the-back pass. Portugal then took a hard shot that beat the goalkeeper and gave the Red and White a 4-3 win.
Miami finished with a 34-11 advantage in shots, while UMass-Lowell had a 7-6 lead in penalty corners. Portugal finished with 11 shots, including seven on goal, while Romagosa had 10. Xavier had five saves on the day.
The RedHawks complete their Massachusetts road trip when they travel to 17th-ranked Boston University Sunday for a 1 p.m. game.
