Field Hockey Drops Thriller To Messiah, 3-2 in OT
HUNTINGDON, PA- Juniata’s field hockey team suffered their first loss of the season in a thrilling overtime match against the visiting Falcons of Messiah in Knox Stadium today. Both teams entered the game with 2-0 records to start the season.
HUNTINGDON, PA- Juniata's field hockey team suffered their first loss of the season in a thrilling overtime match against the visiting Falcons of Messiah in Knox Stadium today. Both teams entered the game with 2-0 records to start the season.
The 14th ranked Falcons took the lead when Taylor Holt scored her third goal of the season less than 10 minutes into the contest. Holt started a corner by passing to Brittany Horst who sent it back to Holt for her first assist of the season. In the 14th minute, Messiah added to their lead on a Nicole Wilkerson goal from Becky Ely to make it a 2-0 game.
The Eagles were able to regroup and attack on offense. With 15 minutes left in the first half, senior Mikaela Sloan (State College, PA/State College) scored for the first time this season off of a Sara Bilheimer (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) assist to cut the Falcons' lead in half.
The Eagles nearly tied it up a minute later but Bilheimer and Allison Groft (Hanover, PA/South Western) were both unable to find the cage. Juniata continued to battle as it nearly tied the game on several occasions before the end of the half. With just under five minutes to play in the frame, Sloan, Brittani LaFollette (Baltimore, MD/Sparrows Point) and Katie Alexander (Mifflinburg, PA/Mifflinburg) nearly put the ball in goal on a skirmish in front of the net but were unable to tie the game.
Juniata continued to strike on offense after the break. Three minutes into the half, Groft snuck the equalizer by Messiah goalie Carly Day for her second of the year to tie the game at two apiece.
With six minutes left in the game, LaFollette led a breakaway for the Eagles but came up short. Alexander, Groft, and Bilheimer continued to cause trouble for the Messiah defense, just missing on opportunities to take the lead with three minutes left in the second half. At the end of regulation, Bilheimer and Alexander nearly put the game away on a corner.
The Eagles just missed taking the game early in overtime on an attempt by Groft that would lead to a Juniata corner. Later, Alexander led a charge but the Eagles again failed to put the game away. Moments after, Alexander just missed a game-winner after Kortney Showers (Aspers, PA/Biglerville) found her open in front of the goal.
A minute later, Messiah's Lindsay Bower sent one over Julianne Jones' (Middleburg, PA/Midd-West) shoulder for the game-winning goal.
After replacing fellow senior Shelby Miller (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) fifteen minutes into the first half, Jones had a strong game in the cage for the Eagles, making four saves against an elite Messiah team. Miller finished with one save. Day had seven stops in the cage for the Falcons.
Juniata finished with a slight advantage in shots, 17-15. Messiah led in corners, 14-7.
The Eagles are now 2-1 on the season. They play again next Saturday (9/13) on the road against York at 12pm.