Lasell Field Hockey nips Rivier in overtime

NEWTON, Mass. – Junior Sam Taylor (Hanover, Mass.) scored her second goal of the game two-and-a-half minutes into overtime Saturday afternoon as Lasell College edged Rivier University, 5-4, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) field hockey game at Taylor Field.

Taylor and sophomore Rebecca Duke (Ijamsville, Md.) each scored two goals for Lasell, and senior Julia Franzik (Wallingford, Conn.) added two assists. The Lasers improve to 11-5 overall and remain tied for first place in the GNAC with a 5-0 mark.

Freshman Maegan Sheehy (Sabattus, Maine) scored two goals for Rivier, and junior Jaclyn Fraser (Wilmington, Mass.) added a goal and an assist. The upset-minded Raiders battled back from a 4-1 deficit to force overtime, out-shooting the home team 20-11 for the game, including 12-3 in the second half. Despite the outstanding effort, Rivier drops to 2-9 overall and 0-5 in the GNAC.

Sophomore Megan Horrigan (Wakefield, Mass.) put the Lasers on the board eight minutes into the game with her 12th goal of the season. Duke knocked home a pass from Franzik eight minutes later to double the Laser lead.

Fraser scored for Rivier in the 27th minute to cut the margin in half, but Duke tallied her second goal of the half and fourth of the season with 24 seconds left in the half to put Lasell ahead, 3-1 at the break.

Taylor tallied her first goal of the game five minutes into the second half to give the Lasers a comfortable 4-1 lead, but the determined Raiders staged a strong comeback. Sheehy started the rally with her first of the game in the 48th minute, and freshman Lia Yohanon (Andover, N.J.) followed three minutes later to cut the deficit to one goal (4-3). Sheehy notched the equalizer with just four minutes remaining in regulation to set up the overtime.

Taylor notched the game-winner in overtime on the only shot of the extra frame, a shot that ricocheted off a Raider defender and into the goal. It was her 12th of the season and second game-winner.

Freshman Sofia Rodriguez (Peabody, Mass.) started in goal for Lasell and made four first-half saves. Classmate Makena Leazer (Nashua, N.H.) came in to start the second half and made five stops the rest of the way. Senior Emily Foster (West Lebanon, N.H.) went the distance for Rivier and finished with three saves.

Prior to the game, Lasell recognized its seven seniors on Senior Day – Franzik, Cailin Flannery (Medford, N.J.), Riley Musial (Clinton, Conn.), Marianna Bean (Westbrook, Conn.), Nikki Pignone (Ipswich, Mass.), Mackenzie Foley (Wakefield, Mass.), and Bre Porcello (Melrose, Mass.).

Lasell plays its final regular season home game this Wednesday against non-conference opponent Framingham State University on Breast Cancer Awareness Day at Grellier Field (3:30 p.m.) Rivier returns home to host Saint Joseph's College (Maine) in a GNAC contest Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

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