Field Hockey Drops OT Heartbreaker to Salem State 4-3

Framingham, Mass. – Salem State University junior Eryn Shea (Spencer, Mass.) completed a hat trick when she scored 2:35 into overtime to lift the Vikings to a 4-3 come from behind victory over the Framingham State Rams in Little East Conference field hockey action this afternoon at Maple Street Field. 

With the win, the Vikings improve to 6-8 on the year and 2-7 in the Little East, while the loss drops the Rams to 4-12 overall and 1-9 in the conference.

Salem took a 1-0 lead just 10 minutes into the game when they moved the ball nicely on a penalty corner with junior Kristin Santanello (Swampscott, Mass.) eventually scoring off a feed from Courtney Lynch (North Andover, Mass.).

The Rams answered with three goals in a little over three minutes to take control of the game.  Sophomore Kaitlyn Ranieri (Bellingham, Mass.) fed a long cross to classmate Demi Miskiv (Centerville, Mass.) in the circle and Miskiv connected on her 6^th goal of the season to tie the score with 18:58 on the clock.

Just under two minutes later, Ranieri scored unassisted as she blasted a shot from the left side of the circle into the back of the cage giving the Rams their first lead of the day.  A minute later sophomore Cassandra Koegel (Groveland, Mass.) put the Rams ahead by two with her unassisted goal on a shot from the right side of the circle that caught the Viking defense off guard.

The Rams would maintain the two goal advantage until late in the half when the Vikings took advantage of another penalty corner.  The Vikings passed the ball around the circle on the corner with sophomore Lauren Pazdziorny (Middleton, Mass.) firing a shot at the goal that Shea redirected for her first marker of the game sending the game to the half with the Rams leading 3-2.

Shea tied the game in the second half in the 55^th minute when she broke away from the Rams defense and beat the goalie with a well-placed shot.

The game would head into overtime tied at three as neither team could capitalize on their scoring chances down the stretch.  The Rams had a chance to score first in overtime when with the Viking goalie off her line Miskiv sent a shot at the empty cage, but Lynch came sweeping in making a defensive save and preserving the tie.

Salem State wasted no time scoring the game winner as senior Nicole Roy (Melrose, Mass.) fed the ball ahead to Shea, who had slipped behind the Rams defense.  Shea was able to beat FSU goalie Sarah Ryan (Uxbridge, Mass.) one on one to score the decisive goal.

The Rams outshot the Vikings 20-14 in the game and held a slim 8-7 advantage in corners.  Salem State goalie Michaela Boyer (South Hadley, Mass.) made 10 saves in the game including seven in the second half allowing her team to mount their comeback.  Ryan finished the game with five saves for the Rams, while Ranieri picked up a goal and an assist.

The Rams return to action on Tuesday when they host Clark University at 3:30 p.m., while the Vikings host Anna Maria on Thursday at 4 p.m.