Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 9, 2010) – Despite a career high 18 save effort by freshman goalkeeper Maggie Brelis, the Vassar College field hockey team dropped a heartbreaking golden goal shoot-out in its Liberty League game against Union College at Weinberg Field on Saturday, 2-1. Union edged Vassar in the shoot-out 4-3, earning a ferociously contested 2-1 victory.

The Brewers fall to 2-11, 0-5 on the season and face Fairleigh Dickinson in a non-league game at home on Friday, October 15 at 4:00 p.m. The Dutchwomen improve to 6-5, 3-2 and travel to Hartwick College for a non-league meeting on Tuesday, October 12 at 4:00 p.m.

After 100 minutes of even play, encompassing regulation and two fifteen minute overtime periods, the two teams remained deadlocked and were forced into a penalty shoot-out to determine the outcome.

The Dutchwomen shot first, and scored on their first three attempts behind senior forward Kelsey Powers, sophomore forward Lauren Winchell and senior midfielder Tyler Willey. The Brewers scored on their second and third strokes, hit respectively by senior defender Elissa Lim and junior forward Maura McCarthy, but needed to find the net on their fifth and final shot after Brelis saved the final two Union Attempts. Needing a score to stay alive, senior midfielder Jessica Lance — who had sat out for most the second half with an injury — arced a high shot passed Union senior goalkeeper Sarah Rios to send the shoot-out into golden goal rules.

Both teams had their first shots of the second round of the shootout saved by the opposing keeper, but after Rios saved a shot by Lim the Dutchwomen would seal the victory off the stick of Willey, who fooled Brelis on the shot to give Union the 4-3 edge and the win.

The shootout came up when, having trailed by a goal for most of the game, Vassar freshman midfielder Cameron Felt scored her first career goal to even the tally with 4:16 left to play. Junior forward Emily Maier carried the ball from midfield through the Union defense, and found Felt with a high centering pass across the top of the circle. Felt ripped a rocket shot straight through the defense and found the corner of the net to force the eventual overtime. Union had struck first just 3:18 into the contest, when senior midfielder Shannon Brady found Powers sitting on the post with a pass low in the circle through the Brewer defense.

While Union outshot Vassar 23-11 in regulation — 11-9 on goal — Brelis dominated with 10 saves. Already a career high, Brelis improved as the game moved to overtime, making a diving save to cut down sophomore forward Caroline Moran high in the circle and keep the game even. In the second overtime, Brelis made two key saves in rapid succession from her knees with 2:24 left to play, denying chances by both junior defender Kelsey MacElroy and junior defender Natalie Engel.

Brelis notched 18 saves in the loss, while Rios managed 7 in the victory. It was only Brelis' second start of the season, and she falls to 0-3. Rios, who has started every game for Union, improved to 6-5.