Field hockey brings it home in overtime vs. rival Bantams

Just four minutes and 16 seconds into the extra period, standout forward Lauren Greer ’13 collected the ball from a scrum near the goal, turned and fired. Last year’s leading scorer, a player who thrives on game-winning goals, didn’t miss, sending the ball into the right side of the net and all the bench players storming onto the field.

“I think our entire team felt and knew overtime was our time,” said Greer, whose overtime goal gave Middlebury (2-1) a thrilling 4-3 win over NESCAC rival Trinity (2-1) in Saturday’s home opener for the Panther field hockey team. “We had practiced our strategy for overtime that week and just simply showed more heart.”

Saturday’s matchup was not only a NESCAC conference game, important in itself, but also a meeting of two nationally ranked teams –– number 10 Middlebury took on seventh-ranked Trinity. The Bantams struck first and quickly, finding the back of the net just 34 seconds into the contest. However, the Panthers took this as an early defensive wake-up call, and did not allow another Trinity goal in the first half. Middlebury evened the score near the 15-minute mark when Heather Karpas ’12 finished off Greer’s shot after a missed Bantam penalty corner, then took the lead seven minutes later on a tip-in by captain Sally Ryan ’11.

The Panthers came out inspired in the second half, and quickly increased their lead to 3-1. Co-captain Chase Delano ’11 was able to finish off a penalty scoring attempt with a monstrous shot. However, for the second week in a row, the Panthers found themselves the victims to a late-game rally, as Trinity put together two scoring attacks only two and a half minutes apart from each other within the final 15 minutes of regulation. The game would remain tied for the rest of the period, setting the table for Greer’s game-winner that would come four minutes into the overtime period.

After an initial Middlebury shot, both teams found themselves fighting for possession of the ball right outside of the Trinity goal. Middlebury emerged victorious from the skirmish, giving the Panthers a well-earned 4-3 victory, with the team once again surviving a late-game comeback to hold on for the win. This gave the numerous fans attending the home opener much to cheer about, as the gorgeous fall day enticed many Panther supporters out of their dorms and down to the fields. They were justly rewarded by a dominating total-team performance that led to Middlebury’s defeat of perennial foe Trinity.

“I think the momentum and energy from such an exciting win should propel us into next week against Bowdoin,” said Greer after the game, already shaking off the excitement from a game-winning goal to focus on the next contest at hand.