SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - Senior forward Maggie Kennedy scored a hat-trick, including the game-winning tally with 5:41 remaining in overtime, lifting Springfield College to a 3-2 win over Mount Holyoke College in the Quarterfinals of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Field Hockey Tournament on Tuesday. With the win, the fifth-seeded Pride move to 13-7 on the season and advance to the conference semifinals where they will play at top-seeded Babson at 11am. The fourth-seeded Lyons conclude the season with a 12-6 overall mark.
Locked in a 2-all tie, the two teams battled into overtime, each getting opportunities quickly in the extra session. Kennedy (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) banked a shot in on the Lyons goal, which was batted away by MHC keeper Morgan Turner (Chester, N.J./West Morris Mendham), while Mount Holyoke sophomore Anna Ballou (South Deerfield, Mass./Deerfield Academy) saw her shot turned aside by junior goalie Emmalie Drake (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland).
With less than six minutes to go in the frame, Kennedy came through once again, sending a shot in on goal that Turner saved, but the rebound caromed out to Kennedy once more as she buried it in for the game-winner.
It was Kennedy that opened the game's scoring in the first half after junior midfielder Amanda Nusbaum (Conway, N.H./Kennett) fired in a shot that Turner dove to save. Unable to redirect the ball away, Kennedy was there to bank it into the open net for a 1-0 lead 27:21 into the opening stanza.
Springfield continued to hold the lead until the second half as a long shot into the circle by junior midfielder Mirjam Keochakian (Hamburg, Germany/Deerfield Academy) was corralled at the doorstep of the goal mouth by senior captain and forward Sophie Perekslis (Millerton, N.Y./Berkshire School). Ducking to the left, Perekslis cut back around, nudging the ball into the goal around Drake to tie it at 1-all at 49:38. Less than four minutes later, Kennedy pushed the visitors back into the lead once again on another redirect.
Sophomore forward Taylor Conley (Yarmouth Port, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth) sent the ball up into the zone as Turner came out to clear it. Unable to get control, Kennedy sprinted in and made a move around the keeper for the go-ahead at 53:37. Mount Holyoke was able to grab the equalizer with less than two minutes to play in the frame. Junior midfielder Kristina Ramsden (Florence, Mass./Northampton) earned the assist, crossing the ball through the goal mouth in traffice. Senior captain and forward Kaitlin Braz (Tolland, Conn./East Catholic) was there to bury the ball in at the open right post.
Mount Holyoke was nearly able to capitalize on a go-ahead tally with seconds remaining in regulation, but Drake came up strong with three consecutive saves, including two from close range off the stick of Braz to force overtime as Kennedy closed out the win with 5:41 remaining in the extra session.
The Lyons owned a slight advantage in shots, 26-20 and also had a 12-3 advantage in corners for the contest. Drake posted the victory with 15 saves in the contest. Turner posted nine saves in the loss for the Lyons.
