NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Senior Elizabeth Sears (Danvers, Mass.) scored a pair of goals in 39 seconds to force overtime with less than four minutes to play in regulation, but the Saint Anselm College field hockey team suffered a 3-2 loss against Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday afternoon at Jess Dow Field.
The Hawks fall to 2-5 on the season, including 0-2 in Northeast-10 play, while the Owls improve to 1-6, 1-0 NE-10.
Trailing 2-0 with just 3:51 to play in regulation, the Hawks had some life pumped into them when Sears' shot from the left side of the circle beat Southern Connecticut goalkeeper Audrey Dolloff into the lower right corner of the cage.
Saint Anselm completed the comeback with 3:12 on the clock as Sears took advantage of a flurry of activity in front and found the back of net to tie the contest at two. Sophomore Taylor Coons (Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass.) was credited with an assist on the play.
The game went to overtime and 12:53 into the extra session, the Owls won it as Jaime Matson collected her own rebound and flipped the ball over sophomore goalkeeper Shauna Whittemore (Bennington, N.H.) and into the cage.
The Hawks have now been involved in a trio of 3-2 overtime tilts this season and have a record of 1-2 in those contests.
Whittemore made nine saves, while Dolloff stopped 14 shots.
Saint Anselm held a 35-20 advantage in shots, including 23-5 in the second stanza, and also owned a 13-12 edge in penalty corners.
The game was scoreless until Kristi Montemurro tipped in Sarah Cebry's shot at the post to Whittemore's right with 5:13 remaining in the opening half. Cebry then doubled the Southern Connecticut lead in the 45th minute when her penalty stroke attempt caromed off Whittemore to the crossbar, where it ricocheted to the ground and spun across the line.
The Hawks return to action Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. when they play host to Saint Michael's College at Grappone Stadium. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
