OWINGS MILLS, Md. (Oct. 22, 2016) – Freshman
Sam Scoma (Blue Bell, Pa.) scored her fourth goal of the season to propel the Widener University field hockey team to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Stevenson in double overtime on Saturday evening at Mustang Stadium.
After a scoreless first half which saw the Pride hold a slight 4-2 advantage in shot attempts, Stevenson came out of the recess with a vengeance and potted the first goal of the match in the 45th minute. Blair Bitner sent the ball inside the arc, and Rosemarie Neiva redirected it past senior goalkeeper
Mikayla Ninos (Northampton, Pa.) and just inside the far post.
Stevenson (4-10, MAC Commonwealth 1-5) threatened to double their lead with about 10 minutes remaining in regulation when Sara McVey came in on a breakaway completely unchallenged, but Ninos came out and disrupted the play to keep it a one-possession game. Widener then cashed in on its fourth penalty corner of the half, as junior
Eliza Newlin (Lewisburg, Pa.) slipped a loose ball past Kelsey Eure in the 65th minute. Classmate
Kayla Herr (Lancaster, Pa.) was credited with an assist on the play.
In the overtime, Stevenson nearly scored the golden goal when McVey came in uncovered on another breakaway against Ninos. The Pride senior, however, made a diving save in the 74th minute to keep the teams deadlocked at 1-1. Ninos also made a kick save and
Sarah Quintus (Drexel Hill, Pa.) blocked an attempt off of two more swings by McVey to help send the game into another extra session.
The Pride carried the momentum they earned off of several big defensive stops into the offensive end by sending a barrage of shots at Eure. After five unsuccessful attempts, Scoma came through by slipping the loose ball into the cage through a scrum of players from both sides in the 89th minute to give the visitors the sudden victory.
Ninos picked up the victory between the pipes for Widener by making seven saves, including several from point-blank range. Stevenson's Eure suffered the loss by turning away four shots.
Widener (7-8, MAC Commonwealth 2-4) will look to wrap up its 2016 campaign on a high note when it visits Arcadia on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.
