ANNVILLE, Pa. – Senior back
Katrina Dull scored the game-winning goal 1:30 into overtime to give the Arcadia University field hockey team a 2-1 Commonwealth Conference victory Tuesday night at Lebanon Valley College, which is ranked 15th in this week National Field Hockey Coaches Association Coaches' Poll.
With the win, the Knights improved to 13-5 overall and 6-1 in conference play, and secured the No. 1 seed in next week's Commonwealth Conference Championship Tournament. This marks the first time for any Arcadia program to earn the top-seed on the Commonwealth side of the MAC since joining the league in 2007-08.
The Knights will host a Commonwealth Conference semifinal match against fourth-seeded Messiah College November 5 at Easton Field. The official start time will be announced Wednesday.
The match was scoreless until the 63rd minute when junior forward
Rachel Longenecker redirected a blast from senior forward
Molly Goldstein into the cage for her seventh goal of the season. The assist was the second of the year for Goldstein.
The Dutchmen (14-3, 5-2) answered thee minutes later as senior back Lauren Brumbach scored her ninth goal of the season off a corner after receiving a pass from freshman back Morgan Vasiliu.
Lebanon Valley kept the pressure on in the closing minutes of regulation, but Arcadia sophomore goalkeeper
Brittany Hodson was up to the task and made a pair of clutch saves to extend the match to overtime. She stopped junior forward Lyndee Sheaffer a minute and a half after Brumbach's tally, and then stopped sophomore forward Brittany Fleisher's bid off a corner that took place after time had expired in the second half.
The Knights were awarded a corner 1:18 into the extra frame, and Dull tipped home junior back
Taylor Dalisera's shot from the top of the circle at the left post after inserting the ball to start the play for her team-leading ninth goal of the season. The assist was the team-leading seventh of the season for Dalisera.
Hosdon improved to 7-2 after stopping eight shots in the game. Dull added a defensive save in the 58th minute on a shot taken by freshman midfielder Maddie Fox, helping keep the game scoreless at the time.
Kendra Moll registered three saves while taking the loss in goal for Lebanon Valley, dropping her record to 14-3.
Arcadia outshot the Dutchmen 4-1 and had a 7-5 edge on corners in the first half, but Lebanon Valley dominated the second frame, outshooting the Knights 12-2 with a 5-2 advantage on corners.
The Knights will close out the 2014 regular season Saturday with a non-conference match at William Paterson University. Game time is set for noon.
