(box score)
Junior Colleen Cormier (Westampton, NJ) buried the equalizer with just over eight minutes left in regulation, but Widener could not hold off Elizabethtown in overtime and was dealt a 2-1 Commonwealth Conference defeat in Elizabethtown, PA.
The hosts wasted little time getting on the board in the contest. Nadine Yunginger took a shot off a penalty corner that was deflected in by Liz DeMatteis less than four minutes in to give Elizabethtown an early 1-0 lead.
The Blue Jays closed the first half with a 12-0 shots edge and a 9-0 advantage in penalty corners, but were unable to register another goal. Widener senior goalkeeper Megan Purcell (Perkasie, PA) made five saves in the period.
Elizabethtown continued to control play early on in the second half by generating the first four shots, but still could not manage to find an insurance goal.
This loomed large in the 62nd minute when Widener's offense came alive. Senior Megan Scarpinato (Sewell, NJ) fired a shot just wide, following a penalty corner from freshman Samantha Balonis (Northumberland, PA). Elizabethtown put the ball in play only to turn it over to Cormier, who fired it into the lower right corner of the cage to pull Widener even at 1-1 at the 61:41 mark.
Elizabethtown took the final four shots of regulation, but Purcell continued to come up big by recording three more saves to force an extra session.
Just under four minutes into overtime, Caitlin Grimes carried the ball down the sideline and crossed it to DeMatteis who scored the winner.
The Blue Jays (10-3, 3-1 CC) outshot Widener, 22-2, and finished with a 17-1 edge in penalty corners.
Purcell closed with eight saves for the Pride (8-3, 1-2).
Widener on Tuesday returns home to host Alvernia for a Commonwealth Conference contest, beginning at 4:00 pm.
