Oct. 15, 2006

Final Stats

Fairfield, CT - Freshman Ashton DiDonato scored the game winning goal with 5:17 left in the second overtime and junior Elizabeth Thomas made 15 saves in goal as Fairfield spoiled senior day, outlasting Sacred Heart, 2-1, in double overtime in field hockey action Sunday at Campus Field.

The game winner came when DiDonato tapped in a crossing pass from sophomore Emily Janis. Janis brought the ball into circle and fed it through to DiDonato who tapped the ball into net past diving Pioneer goaltender Whitney Mills to give the Stags the victory.

Fairfield took an early lead on a goal by sophomore Brittany Bates at the 5:33 mark. When senior Ashley Del Greco (Merrimack, NH) made a save on the first shot by junior Chelsea Hicks, Bates was in front to put home the loose rebound to give the Stags the 1-0 advantage.

The Pioneers tied the game 4:14 into the second half when sophomore Carisa Eye (Nesconset, NY) scored her 28th goal of the season. Senior Colleen Carney (Yorktown Heights, NY) fired a shot from the top of the circle and Eye was in front to deflect high into the top of the cage over the head of Stags goaltender Thomas. It was the 10th assist of the year for Carney, who led all players with 11 shots in the game.

After a slow start, Sacred Heart controlled most of the game offensively, out shooting the Stags 32-13 and garnering 25 penalty corner chances to just two for the Stags. However, the Pioneers could not get a ball past Thomas who made several excellent saves.

Both teams had opportunities to win the game early in overtime. Just over one minute into the first extra session, the Stags Caitlin Quinn fired a shot off a corner that was stopped by Mills. The rebound came right to Wendy Carbone who pushed the ball just wide of the open corner of the cage.

The Pioneers had a glorious chance 4:40 into overtime when Eye got behind the Stag defense but she hit the post with the shot. Then 8:03 into the second overtime, senior Sarah Yeaton (Hampton, NH) had a shot to win the game, but Thomas was able to stick out her pad and just get a piece of the ball to knock it wide.

The Pioneers play their final three games of the regular season on the road. The trip opens Wednesday night with a visit to Lehigh at 7:00 pm.