Sacco’s Last Second Goal Lifts Field Hockey Over Plymouth State
Framingham, Mass. - Junior forward Kristen Sacco (Mendon, Mass.) scored the game winner with just 14 seconds remaining in the game to lift the Framingham State College field hockey team to a 3-2 come from behind win over Plymouth State in Little East Conference (LEC) action this afternoon at Maple Street Field. The Rams remain unbeaten in LEC action at 4-0, while the loss drops the Panthers to 2-2 in conference.
Plymouth State (6-3) controlled the game from the onset and wasted no time breaking into the scoring column. Senior midfielder Morgan Lemmon (Gilford, N.H.) took the opening possession and maneuvered thru the Rams defense and sent a shot into the circle that Kerry D'Ambroise (Lowell, Mass.) redirected home for her sixth goal of the season. The goal gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead just 27 seconds into the game.
The Panthers kept up their offensive pressure as D'Ambroise had an open look at the cage just two minutes later but her shot went just wide.
Plymouth State was finally able to extend their lead in the 23rd minute as freshman Olivia Colborn (Lancaster, N.H.) collected a rebound in the circle and knocked into the back of the net for her first of the season.
The game would stay 2-0 till late in the second half despite the Rams (7-1) holding a slight advantage in shots as they took nine to the Panthers six. The Rams also held the advantage in penalty corners (10-2) which they were able to convert into two second half goals.
The Rams were finally able to break into the score column when sophomore midfielder Kayleigh Force (Leominster, Mass.) sent a pass on a corner to Sacco who was able to beat the Panthers goalie with a shot for her first of the day and her 10th of the season which cut Plymouth State's lead to 2-1 at the 50:53 mark.
The game would remain 2-1 till the 68th minute as the Rams converted a penalty corner into the game tying goal. Freshman Erica Fisher (Putnam Valley, NY) sent the ball out to senior Katie Wotherspoon (Stafford, Conn.) at the top of the circle. Wotherspoon found Force alone on the right side and Force fired a shot into the back of the net to knot the game at 2-2.
Framingham State kept up their offensive pressure as the clock wound down and with just 14 seconds remaining, Wotherspoon crossed the ball to Sacco who connected for the game winner and her team-leading 11th goal of the season.
Junior Allesha Kenyon (Westford, Mass.) made three saves for the Rams and picked up her 7th win of the season, while sophomore Elyse Sedgeley (Hopkinton, N.H.) made five saves and picked up the loss for Plymouth.
The Rams return to action on Saturday as they host Fitchburg State at 11 a.m., while the Panthers travel to Eastern Connecticut on Saturday at 1 p.m.