BRISTOL, R.I. — The Roger Williams University field hockey team delivered a Senior Day to remember Saturday afternoon, stunning Endicott College, 2-1, in double overtime at Bayside Field. The Hawks battled through 80 minutes of action, with Eva Wood( Sandwich, Mass) finding the back of the cage in the second overtime to secure the dramatic victory.
Endicott entered the contest with a 5-0 record in Conference of New England play, but Roger Williams rose to the challenge, putting together a determined performance on its home field while honoring four seniors before the game.
Hawks Strike First
After a scoreless opening quarter, Roger Williams broke through in the second. First-year midfielder Mikayla Hanel (Ridgefield, Conn.) opened the scoring at 17:09, giving the Hawks a 1-0 advantage.
The Hawks continued to generate opportunities, finishing the afternoon with 22 shots, including 11 on goal. Goalkeeper Meili Raspante (Cotuit, Mass.) helped keep Endicott off the scoreboard through the first three quarters, making several important stops as the Gulls looked to respond.
Gulls Battle Back
Endicott found its equalizer at 52:36 in the fourth quarter when Elena Govoni converted a feed from Lily Johnson, evening the score at 1-1.
Neither side could find the go-ahead goal in regulation, sending the contest into overtime. Roger Williams continued to apply pressure, earning several penalty corners and creating scoring chances throughout the first extra period, but the Gulls held firm to force a second overtime.
Wood Delivers the Winner
With the game hanging in the balance, the Hawks needed just 46 seconds of the second overtime to find the decisive goal. At 70:46, Eva Wood (Sandwich, Mass.) finished a pass from forward Brodie Loveland (West Milford, N.J.), sending the Hawks into celebration and sealing the 2-1 double-overtime victory.
Raspante finished with nine saves in the cage, helping the Hawks withstand Endicott's attack. Roger Williams also held a 22-17 advantage in shots, while both teams generated opportunities on penalty corners.
Celebrating the Seniors
Saturday's contest also marked Senior Day for the Hawks, who recognized four seniors before taking the field: Emma Sheldon (Suffield, Conn.), Anna Kruggel (Scituate, Mass.), Maddy Monahan (Bristol, N.H.) and Lexi Yost (Swansea, Mass.).
The Hawks honored the senior class before delivering a memorable performance against one of the conference's top teams, making the double-overtime victory an especially meaningful moment on their home field.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Hawks return to action Tuesday, Oct. 20, when they travel to Keene, N.H., to take on Keene State at 5 p.m.
