Overtime goal downs W&J in NCAA First Round
DANVILLE, Ky. – A goal from Centre (Ky.) in the 74th minute ended the Washington & Jefferson field hockey team's season, 3-2, in the NCAA Division III playoffs on Wednesday, Nov. 8.
The Presidents conclude their 2017 campaign with a 13-5 overall record.
The game-winning score came just four minutes into overtime as a shot from the Colonels found room just inside the near post.
In the 45th minute, Rachel Buyan (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison) sent a pass off a penalty corner to Gabby Karr (White Hall, Md./North Hartford) at the top of the circle. Karr sent her pass inside to Claire Shaak (Myerstown, Pa./Eastern Lebanon County) who put the ball past the keeper to give W&J its second lead of the game, 2-1.
The Colonels answered quickly, however, to tie the game once again with a goal in the 47th minute.
Alana Boyd (Alexandria, Va./Thomas Edison) was able to corral a loose ball in the 12th minute and weaved her way around two Colonel defenders to find enough space for a shot. From about 10 yards out, she fired her attempt past the Centre goalie for the 1-0 W&J lead.
Centre answered with a goal in the 26th minute after a series of passes led to an open shot from close range in front of the W&J cage.
Boyd and Buyan led the Presidents' offense with two shots apiece and combined to put three attempts on goal.
Karlie Baran (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty) made three saves in the contest and added a stop on a Centre penalty stroke in the 41st minute to keep the game at a 1-1 draw at that point.
Just prior to that, Karr came up with her team-leading fourth defensive save of the season.
"I'm really proud of this group," head coach
Jomara Coghlan said after the game. "Some people said this was going to be a 'rebuilding year' because of all the firepower we lost from last season. This group earned everything this year. They worked really hard and we had some amazing leadership from our senior class."
"I think team chemistry played a huge role in the success of the team this year," intern assistant coach
Mary Plotas commented. "They have amazing trust in Coach [Coghlan] and they have as much heart as I've ever seen."