OBERLIN, Ohio - For the second consecutive day, Oberlin College field hockey pushed their opponents into overtime, but fell just short on Sunday as Kenyon College stole away a victory, 3-2, in double overtime.
After surrendering a 5-0 loss to the Ladies in early September, the Yeowomen showcased their growth and development over the past month as they took Kenyon to the brink on Sunday afternoon in front of a crowd of OCFH faithful.
Entering Sunday's matchup, Kenyon had the Yeowomen's number, outscoring the Crimson and Gold 34-2 in the last seven meetings and posting a shutout in the last six matchups. Despite the loss, the Yeowomen exemplified how much they have improved as a unit under second year head coach Tiffany Saunder's guidance.
The Yeowomen broke the scoreless stalemate - and scoring drought against the Ladies -Â in the 23rd minute when
Ariana Enzerink found her first tally of the 2016 campaign. Out of a penalty corner opportunity,
Amelia Huang slapped the set piece toward Enzerink who rifled a low shot attempt from the top of the arch into the middle of the frame past the Kenyon netminder, Sarah Speroff.
A brave performance in net by senior goalie
Maggie Gossiaux kept the Ladies scoreless through the opening 35 minutes with eight save en route to 13 stops in 93:31 in net. The Ladies troubled Gossiaux all afternoon with 17 first half shots on their way to outshooting the Yeowomen 32-9.
The North Coast Athletic Conference preseason number one quickly evened the match just 2:35 into the second half. Kenyon's Weezie Foster hammered a shot at Gossiaux, which deflected off of the Oberlin netminder and fell to the stick of Hannah Paterakis who tapped in the second-chance effort for the equalizer.
The 1-1 deadlock would last for over 15 minutes until senior
Maureen Coffey capitalized on another Oberlin scoring opportunity. Inside the arch, Coffey maneuvered past a handful of Kenyon defenders, dribbled into space and fired a shot past Speroff for her team-best sixth goal of the year.
Less than a minute later, Kenyon's Foster cashed in a goal to accompany her assist and drive the match back to level. Foster found space in front of net and flung in low shot, beating Gossiaux to her left.
At the end of regulation, Kenyon seemed to dominate play earning 17 penalty corners to Oberlin's three and firing 26 shots compared to the Yeowomen's seven. Foster led the Ladies offensive charge through regulation, letting loose 14 shots, six on target, en route to a game-high 16 shots, seven on frame.
Tied 2-2, the battle rolled into the first 7-v-7, 15 minute sudden-death overtime period and Kenyon continued to keep the offensive pressure high. The Ladies maintained their shot advatage over the Yeowomen (3-to-2) in the first period of free field hockey. A couple of key defensive stops by
Dillon Sebastian helped keep the Crimson and Gold alive in the fight.
Midway through the final overtime stanza, Kenyon drove once more into the Oberlin defensive end and was pestering Gossiaux and the Yeowomen's back line. With six minutes and change left in overtime, the Ladies, who had played from behind since the opening whistle, found the decisive fifth goal of the game to complete the comeback.
Kenyon's Sarah Bauman dribbled down the right side of the Oberlin defense, found daylight and rattled a ground pass to Hannah Sklar, who was waiting in front. With her back turned to goal, Sklar flicked a backhanded shot into the back netting to close Sunday's NCAC battle.
The loss slides Oberlin field hockey to 0-11 overall and 0-9 against league opponents.
The Yeowomen will rebound and attempt to tally the first victory of the year when they return to action and battle Earlham College and DePauw University in a Saturday-Sunday doubleheader.
Oberlin will take on the Earlham College Quakers on Saturday, October 15, at 11 a.m. in Richmond, Indiana before making the short trip over to Greencastle on Sunday to square off with the DePauw Tigers at noon on Sunday.
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