WASHINGTON, DC (October 15, 2022) – The Susquehanna University field hockey team hit the road on Saturday afternoon, traveling to face Catholic University in a Landmark Conference matchup. In a dramatic contest, the River Hawks would come out on top in double overtime, winning 2-1 over the Cardinals.
The hosts would begin on the front foot as they tallied the first three shots of the match. None would force a save but Susquehanna produced just one in response, late in the first period through Sophia Prata, who did force a save from the Catholic goalkeeper.
The breakthrough goal came just moments into the second period as a Cardinal attacker swiped the ball in SU's defensive end and crossed it in from the right side, where the waiting attacker could beat goalkeeper Mackenzie Bross and score the first goal that Susquehanna has conceded in six matches.
Susquehanna would produce more chances late in the first half with two penalty corners. The first would result in a shot for Sarah McAndrews, which forced another save. The score would remain 1-0 in Catholic's favor into halftime, with the Cardinals outshooting SU 4-2 in the half, though both of the River Hawks' shots did force saves.
The second half saw Susquehanna turn up the pressure in search of an equalizer, with two shots in both the third and fourth periods, including the one that tied the game late in the final frame. A penalty corner in the 57th minute saw Kari Schmidt lay a pass in to Annalee Smith, who fired home to tie the game and score her 10th goal of the year. The River Hawks would fight off three penalty corners from Catholic in the last three minutes to keep the score tied and force overtime.
Overtime would again see Catholic control the first period before Susquehanna would resurge in the second. After withstanding two shots on goal in the first overtime, both saved by Bross, the winner came at the 76 minute mark, when another pass from Schmidt would create a shot opportunity, this time for Sarah McAndrews, who scored her seventh of the season and clinched the game for the River Hawks, who held out for the remaining four minutes and took the win, their ninth in a row.
Now 12-3 overall and 5-0 in the Landmark Conference, the River Hawks sit atop the conference and continue their historic campaign. They'll remain outside of Pennsylvania for their next matchup, going from DC to Virginia to face Christopher Newport University on Monday, October 17, getting started at noon.
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--RIVER HAWKS--
