SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Susquehanna women's field hockey team forced visiting Juniata to double overtime after a late goal in regulation but the Eagles scored early in the second overtime period to grab a 3-2 win on Tuesday night.
Freshman Julia Hasircoglu (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor) scored the game-tying goal with less than two minutes to play in regulation, SU's first goal since the first few minutes of the first half.
The Eagles (11-3, 4-1) had their fair share of scoring opportunities, out-shooting the Crusaders (6-9, 1-4) 26-9, including 12 shots in the second half. Juniata also had 14 penalty corners to SU's eight but Susquehanna goalie Alyssa Rothman (Trooper, Pa./Methacton) racked up an impressive 14 saves, all but one of which came after the first half.
Katherine Millett (Auburn, Maine/North Yarmouth Academy) led the team with four shots and scored the first goal of the game. That goal came a mere 3:20 into the action off an assist from Megan McClellan (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley).
Just over five minutes later, Juniata's Katie Alexander scored the equalizer on a shot from Rothman's left. As time expired in the first half, the Eagles' Kortney Showers had a shot blocked that kept it a 1-1 game.
Just 4:56 into the second period, Allison Groft redirected a Kortney Showers shot into the goal to put the Eagles in the lead, 2-1.
Inside the 11-minute mark of regulation, Millett's shot was blocked but the Crusaders were promptly awarded three-consecutive penalty corners, the third of which led to Hasircoglo's game-tying score. With less than two minutes remaining in regulation, though, neither team was able to break that tie, forcing overtime.
Rothman came up with three critical stops in the first overtime period and Showers' shot with just four seconds left in the period was wide, forcing double overtime.
The Crusaders were unable to get a shot off in that second overtime period before Groft scored her second goal of the game in the 87th minute to end the game 3-2 in favor of the Eagles.
Susquehanna is on the road to face Catholic on Oct. 25 at 1 p.m.
