Box Score SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Susquehanna field hockey team needed extra time to dispatch King's (Pa.) on Saturday, but not very much of it. Cayla Spatz (Sinking Spring, Pa. / Berks Catholic) scored her second goal of the afternoon barely three minutes into overtime to lead the Crusaders to a 3-2 win as they improve to 3-3 on the season.
Early scoring was a theme throughout the game as SU recorded all of its goals within five minutes of each period's start. Spatz found the back of the net at 2:43 into the game and Katherine Millett (Auburn, Maine / North Yarmouth Academy) finished a pass from Tessa Woodring (Mifflinburg, Pa. / Mifflinburg Area) a minute after the second half began.
Susquehanna controlled much of the game on offense and the team's dominance was reflected in the box score: SU held a 27-13 advantage in shots, a 17-7 lead in shots on goal, and an impressive 19-3 margin in penalty corners.
The Lady Monarchs of King's (Pa.) kept the game close, though, and evened the game at one apiece right before halftime behind a goal from Meghan Lermond at 32:57. After Millett's goal, the Lady Monarchs answered as Selina Malacari scored to tie the game 2-2.
Both teams had several opportunities to end the game in regulation in the closing minutes, but the goalkeepers came up big when it mattered.
SU's Alyssa Rothman (Trooper, Pa. / Methacton), who finished with five saves, stopped a shot and then blocked the rebound in the 68th minute. Four minutes earlier, King's keeper Paige Tedik turned away consecutive shots from Meghan Plunkett (Ambler, Pa. / Wissahickon) and Emily Novakovich (Saratoga, Calif. / Lynbrook) to preserve the draw for the time being.
Overtime belonged to the Crusaders as they took three penalty corners and three shots before finally breaking through with Spatz's goal.
Susquehanna will travel to Wilkes tomorrow, Sept. 14 for a non-conference game at 2:00 p.m.
