09/08/2010
Jeff Nowak
After a 7-1 loss to Shippensburg University that head coach Kelley Frassinelli said the team wanted to put behind them, the Southern Connecticut State University field hockey team did just that with a 6-5 overtime victory the following day.
“We came into [the game] stronger than we did yesterday,” said Frassinelli, “we actually played today. That was kind of the goal, not to sit back and wait, but to actually go out to play and attack the game, which they did.”
Freshman midfielder Sarah Cebry netted the game-winning goal against Mansfield University in overtime off an Owls penalty corner and an assist from forward Laurie Cockerline.
“It’s probably the greatest feeling ever,” said Cebry. “In high school I’ve scored game winning goals but this one tops everything.”
Cebry, from Burlington Conn. scored two other goals in the game and also scored the Owls lone goal against Shippensburg.
“[Cebry’s] having a very good start,” said Frassinelli. “We knew coming in she would be a strong force for us, and she’s playing that left side and it’s even harder on that side.”
The first of the game’s 11 goals came in the fourth minute from Mansfield University Mountaineers’ forward Kristy Tutorow while Southern was having trouble getting good shots off.
Ball possession was even throughout the first half and Cockerline was able to knock in a rebound to tie the score in the 15th minute. The tie was short-lived however, as Tutorow scored her second goal of the game less than a minute later to put the mountaineers back on top.
Frassinelli said the team did a good job of keeping their heads up and fighting back in the game.
“The team and themselves pulled each other through what they needed to do,” said Frassinelli. “We
talk about not getting on each other, you’ve got to help and pull each other along, and I think that’s what they did.”
Cebry and Cockerline scored goals in the 26th and 29th minutes to bring the Owls into halftime with a 3-2 lead.
Early in the second half, the Mountaineers, who had the majority of ball possession time, began to take it to the Owls . After the Owls were unable to clear the ball out of their circle for almost 30 seconds,
Taryn Schawillie of the Mountaineers was able to push in a goal to tie the game and Alycia Pici put them
ahead in the 58th minute.
At this point, with all the momentum against them and time running out, the Owls found a way to fight back.
Cebry redirected a shot by senior Dieny Charlot for her second goal, and with less than three minutes, team captains Jen Peterson and Ann Farrier combined for the go-ahead goal off a penalty corner with Farrier netting the score.
That would have been the game-winner, except Schawillie scored her second goal of the contest with less than two minutes remaining to send the game into overtime.
“It was great, I love scoring obviously but it went from a high to a low,” said Farrier, “because I was like ‘yes game winner, three minutes left’, and then ‘no, no, no, overtime.’”
Mansfield came out strong at the start of overtime, and Schawillie whiffed on her chance for a game winning hat trick on a bouncing ball, open goal opportunity, which left the door open for Cebry’s late game heroics.
Frassinelli said even though this was a non-conference game, the win was a big boost for the team.
“The Pennsylvania schools are all very strong,” said Frassinelli. “This is [Mansfield’s] third game in three days and they’re coming out here and they’re relentless. They’re still working as hard as they can.”
Frassinelli said, as there are only two conferences in divison II field hockey, the team opens up their season playing the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference schools because it is their only chance to play out of conference games.
With their Northeast-10 schedule beginning later this week, captain Jen Peterson said the win while important for the team, needs to be taken in stride.
“Coming from yesterday we were kinda down a little bit, it was a rough loss,” said Peterson. “Today really boosted our self esteem and stuff, but we have a huge game [against Umass Lowell] Friday, so we can’t celebrate too long.”
