FROSTBURG, Md. - The Lander Field Hockey team scored three goals in the third quarter to turn a 2-0 halftime deficit into a 3-2 lead. They held that lead even until the final horn sounded but a penalty corner awarded right before the clock hit zeros allowed the Frostburg State Bobcats to tie the game and send the match to overtime. Then in overtime, despite Lander dominating the first overtime period, the hosts were able to score in the second overtime period to take the 4-3 win on Sunday afternoon at Bobcat Stadium.
Lander drops to 1-2 on the season while Frostburg improves to 2-2.
The Bobcats jumped all over Lander in the first half as they outshot the Blue and Gold 9-1 in the first 30 minutes of action. Just over eight minutes into the game, Frostburg struck first on a shot that beat Avery Tworkoski (Bernville, Pa.)on the near side to make it 1-0.Â
Frostburg added another goal halfway through the second that just sneaked by the attempt at a defensive save by Victoria Hulst (Maarssen, Netherlands) to make it 2-0 in favor of the home side.
Then after halftime, everything flipped.
The Bearcats notched their first goal as a Hulst shot of a penalty corner found its way past the keeper to give Lander life and cut the deficit to 2-1.
Nine minutes later, Dusty-Rose Miller (Crisfield, Md.) scored her first goal of 2024 and suddenly the game was tied at two. However, neither team got a chance to relax as less than a minute later, Meredith Wong (San Diego, Ca.) opened her collegiate scoring account to give Lander their first lead at 3-2, a lead which Lander kept going into the fourth.
In all, Lander outshot Frostburg 9-5, with all but one of those nine shots being on target, three of which being goals.
The Bobcats started to regain their footing in the final frame as they outshot Lander 4-0. However, the Bearcat defense remained strong until the final horn sounded. Unfortunately, a penalty corner was awarded before the horn resulting in an untimed play which the Bobcats converted on to tie the game at three and send the game to overtime.
Lander had a chance to end the game quickly in overtime as they were awarded a penalty stroke less than a minute into the frame.
Hulst, the hero in the same situation in last season's SAC Championship Game, stepped up to take it and launched a high shot that the Bobcat keeper, Zoe Barnes, saved to keep the game alive.
Frostburg was not out of the woods as Lander kept peppering the goal but could not find the breakthrough as Barnes made six saves on Lander's eight shots to keep the game tied and send it to a second overtime.
Despite dominating the first 12 minutes of overtime, all Frostburg needed was one shot in the second overtime frame that beat Isabel Elenga (Hillegom, Netherlands) to give the home side the victory.
Lander returns to action on Tuesday as they return to Frank Hill Stadium to take on the Converse Valkyries. That game is scheduled for a 7:00 PM start.
