Box Score
BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott field hockey team hosted cross town rival Gordon for a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) matchup. Junior Emily Sawchuck (Cumberland, Maine) tallied two goals for the Blue and Green, but they were not enough as Gordon's junior Karli Balmer (Perkasie, Pa.) tallied the game winner in overtime in the 3-2 decision. Endicott now moves to 7-9, (4-5 CCC) while the Fighting Scots move to 13-4, (8-2 CCC).
The first frame was a battle for both sides, but Endicott outshot the Scots 12-8. At 16:41 the Blue and Green got on the board first. Junior Alyssa Clark (Gorham, Maine) blasted the ball at net but senior goalkeeper Anna Bury (Huntingtown, Md.) made the stop, however Sawchuck was able to swoop in and pick up the rebound and slip it into the left corner to take the 1-0 lead.
Four minutes later Sawchuck was able to pick up another rebound off Bury's pads from an initial shot from junior Kathryn Walker (Middlebury, Conn.) and lifted the ball to the top left corner to give the Gulls a two goal advantage.
The Fighting Scots came back after the goals looking for a tally, at 21:29 junior Courtney Scott (Herndon, Pa.) blasted a shot at senior goalkeeper Lizetta Solarik (Carmel, N.Y.) but she was able to come up with the save. Seconds later there was a scramble in front of the net and the ball hit a Gulls defender's foot on the goal line and the Scots were awarded a penalty stroke. Scott stepped up to the stroke mark to take the shot and went left but the ball hit the post to keep them off the board.
In the final nine seconds of the half Scott found junior Grace Fabry (Escondido, Calif.) wide open on the left post in transition and sent the ball across cage for the tip in to make it a one goal game entering halftime.
Gordon came back fighting in the second half as they outshot Endicott 13-1. At 56:42 senior Emily O'Halloran (Cheshire, Conn.) was given a five minute yellow card and the Gulls had to play a man down for a good part of the half. After five minutes of pounding Solarik and her defensive unit the Scots finally tallied the game tying goal at 61:10. Freshman Abigail Sensing (Doylestown, Pa.) received a feed from Balmer and found the back of the cage, which would eventually send the game into overtime.
The Gulls controlled most of the 7 minutes of overtime as they ripped four shots to the Scots one but they could not finish in the circle. In the 76th minute Balmer came up the right side and ripped a shot from the 16 that hit the post and tipped into the back of the net to give the Scots the 3-2 overtime win.
Balmer picked the right time for her fifth goal of the season, as her timely goal lifted the Scots past the Gulls for the second time this season. Before the homecoming matchup with Endicott four weeks ago, Gordon had not defeated the Gulls since the 2007 season. With two wins in one academic year, the Scots complete their first sweep of their rival school since the CCC went to a home-and-home regular season schedule a few years ago.
Endicott made it their goal to stop the nation's second leading scorer, Scott, from getting many good looks at the net. However, the gameplan left plenty of room for other players to make plays and Gordon's talented lineup made the Gulls pay.
Bury settled down after getting behind 0-2 and made 12 outstanding saves to keep the Scots at arm's length. Her net-minding in the second half allowed the Scots to play their game and come out victorious in the sudden-death period.
Gordon is back in action on Saturday when they travel to NEWMAC opponent Babson for a noon tip.
Release courtsey of Endicott Sports Information
