SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Connecticut College field hockey team claimed its first victory of the 2022 season on Tuesday night, defeating Western New England University by a 5-4 final in overtime at Golden Bear Stadium.
Bridget McGann (West Hartford, Conn.) scored three goals and netted the game winner with 3:06 left in the extra period, setting off a celebration on the Conn sideline. The Camels improved to 1-2 on the young season.
After weather delayed the start of the game by an hour, the Camels got off to a hot start by knocking in a pair of goals in the opening 6:19 to build a 2-0 lead.
Kendall Arnold (Pawling, N.Y.) scored the game's first goal just 4:35 in, picking up a loose ball deep in the circle and slipping a shot inside the near post. Less than two minutes later, Conn earned a penalty corner that resulted in McGann adding to the lead.
The Golden Bears also scored twice in the half—both off of penalty corners—to even the score by intermission. The first goal came with 5:00 remaining in the first quarter, when Haley Kaczka scored through traffic from the top of the circle. In the second quarter, Emily Campbell tied the game with 6:26 left in the half, scoring off a feed from the right side that found her camping in front of the goal.
The two sides traded goals in the opening minutes of the second half. After Western New England took its first lead on a tally by Carly-Anna Barba, Conn marched down the field 26 seconds later and responded with a goal from
Chloe Therrien (Boxford, Mass.).
The Camels pulled ahead once again as McGann buried her second goal of the match with 8:02 left in the third quarter. The lead lasted until the 10-minute mark of the fourth, when Sarah Johnston tied the game once again for the Golden Bears.
Conn drew four penalty corners in the final 7:37 of regulation but couldn't push across the winner. The Camels then had the first two shots of overtime, but an attempt by
Kylee Quinn (Sandwich, Mass.) sailed wide while
Sydney Cresta (Swampscott, Mass.) was denied by goalie Zoe Wexler. The visitors kept peppering the goal over the next few minutes, but Wexler made two more saves to keep the score knotted.
Wexler's final save of the night came against a shot in front of the goal by Arnold. However, the rebound was promptly poked in by McGann to give the Camels the winning goal. Conn finished with a 6-0 advantage in shots for the overtime period.
Sophie Moniz (Alexandria, Va.) made three saves in goal for Conn to earn her first career victory.
Conn will next play its home opener on Saturday, September 17 against Bowdoin College at 11:30 a.m.
