Field Hockey Tripped up at Wagner, 2-1 (OT)

Friday, October 11

Staten Island, N.Y. / Wagner Field Hockey Complex

3 p.m.

Sacred Heart

(4-8, 2-2)

Wagner

(7-5, 3-1)

SHU

WAGNERFH

Photo by: Greg Vasil

Field Hockey Tripped up at Wagner, 2-1 (OT)

10/11/2024 5:57:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

Brayford scores second of season

By: Matthew Janik

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (October 11, 2024) – As the Northeast Conference season rapidly approaches its midpoint, the Sacred Heart University field hockey team headed to Wagner on Friday afternoon, for a rematch of last season's league title game. This time around though, the host Seahawks were able to flip the script, and pull out a 2-1 (OT) victory, courtesy of Romy Matthies' 69^th-minute winner. Emma Brayford (Breiningsville, Pa.) scored in the second straight game for SHU, while Samantha Maresca (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) finished with six saves.

It was SHU (4-8, 2-2 NEC) which broke the seal on Friday, with a penalty-corner goal in the 14^th minute. Abby Lauer (Hummelstown, Pa.) inserted directly to Brayford on the left side. Brayford took a touch inside the circle and then drove home her second of the season through traffic from there.

The second quarter went scoreless and then the run of play shifted after halftime. Wagner (7-5, 3-1 NEC) enjoyed advantages of 4-1 in corners and 8-3 in shots in the third quarter, though the period ultimately went scoreless as well.

SHU had a chance to extend the lead on a corner play early in the fourth quarter, and Brayford forced Saar van Dalen to make a save. Wagner then struck on the counter in opportunistic fashion. After gaining the circle on the left side on the rush, Floortje Leunisse eventually set up Cami Valor's sixth goal of the campaign, in the 50^th minute.

The game would stay 1-1 into overtime, before Wagner cashed in the winner on a corner in the 69^th minute. The play came up top for Leunisse, who would pick up her second assist of the afternoon. Her drive towards the net was deflected home by Matthies for the latter's first collegiate goal to lift the Seahawks to the victory.

Maresca (4-8) finished with four saves in the SHU net, while Brayford and Hannah Fawle (Collaroy, Australia) each added a defensive save along the way. For Wagner, van Dalen (7-5) stopped four of five shots to pick up the win.

Sacred Heart returns home on Sunday to host Towson at 11 a.m.