CASTLETON, VT. -- The SUNY Oneonta field hockey team sent their game at Castleton into overtime with 2.5 seconds left in regulation, however the Spartans took the match in extra time, 4-3, Friday evening. Freshman
Skyler Van Wormer (Guilderland, N.Y./Guilderland) recorded two goals including the game-tying goal at the end of fourth period and was assisted on both scores by junior
Molly Miller (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa). Both the Red Dragons and the Spartans moved to 4-3 on the season.
The game remained scoreless after the first period. Sophomore
Alexandra Howell (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) and Van Wormer each had a shot on target in the first few minutes of play but were stopped by Castleton's keeper Zoe Martin. Junior
Maura Leib (East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse Minoa) made four saves in the final five minutes of the opening period to keep the game tied at zero.
Leib recorded back-to-back stops in the second quarter, then the Red Dragons took a 2-0 lead at 28:04, with two goals in the span of a minute. For the first goal, both teams were fighting for a loose ball in front of the cage when the ball was hit out towards the top of the shooting circle. Senior
Emilia Montgomery (Simsbury, CT/Simsbury) chased the ball down and fired it back towards the net where junior
Olivia Bonelli (Kerhonkson, N.Y./Rondout Valley) redirected the ball in. Oneonta extended the lead when Howell passed the ball from the corner of the 25-yard line into the shooting circle to Miller. Miller immediately gave a centering pass to Van Wormer who dove for the shot while colliding into Martin, and the ball bounced over the pile-up and in for the goal.
The Spartans recorded their first goal at 34:48 when Jess Smithson scored a penalty stroke. They tied the game at 51:13 with a goal from Gwyn Vincent then took the lead at 53:10 off the stick of Amelia Wilson. With seconds remaining in the fourth period the Red Dragons were down to their final penalty corner, and chance, when they knotted the game. Howell received the ball and passed it to graduate student
Michaela Maniscalco (Northport, N.Y./Northport) on the left side of the shooting circle. Maniscalco sent a centering pass towards Miller who redirected the ball to the right post where Van Wormer was set up for the score with 2.5 seconds remaining.
Castleton took the match at 61:20 in overtime off a penalty corner when Smithson passed the ball to Madison Gile for the shot.
Leib tied her season-high with 13 saves. Martin had five saves for the Spartans. Castleton outshot Oneonta 20-11, 17-8 on target, while Oneonta had an 11-9 edge in penalty corners.
The Red Dragons are back home for their next game as they host Misericordia on Wednesday, September 25, at 6 pm on All College Field.
