SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Senior
Rachel Ostiguy scored the game-winning goal 7:38 into overtime to lead the Union College field hockey team to a thrilling 3-2 (OT) victory over the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
Union (2-1) controlled play for much of the day against MIT (2-2), but needed some late-game heroics to pull off the win. On the team's seventh shot and third penalty corner of the overtime period, Ostiguy tipped home an attempt from the side of the arc by sophomore
Ellie Innes for her first goal of the season, setting off a celebration in front of the MIT net.
Senior
Maddie Greco and sophomore
Macy Goodwin both scored as well for the Garnet Chargers, who came back from an early one-goal deficit to take a lead before the Engineers tied the score with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
The visitors scored on the first shot of the day from Ingrid Tomovski just 2:35 into the game. Union responded to the early setback with four shots over the next three minutes, but three saves by Alexis Ninios kept MIT in front. Junior
Tess Parker made three saves at the other end to keep the home team in the game, as MIT held a slight 5-4 edge in shots after 15 minutes.
Union took over control of the contest after that, limiting the Engineers to one shot over the next two quarters. Greco evened the score in the 27th minute, tipping home a corner attempt by first-year
Caroline Ranucci for her second goal of the year. After a scoreless third frame, Goodwin put Union ahead for the first time with 9:01 on the clock, when she intercepted a clearing attempt at the top of the arc and flicked the ball high into the far-side netting.
Parker made two saves to keep the Garnet Chargers ahead, but MIT took advantage of a defensive giveaway to even the score with less than two minutes left. The home team fired three more shots toward the MIT goal after that, but could not find the winner in regulation.
Union again established itself in seven-on-seven play, taking the only seven shots of the extra session and requiring five saves from Ninios, including a penalty stroke stop that kept the game alive. But the Garnet Chargers converted on their 17th and final penalty corner of the afternoon to pull out the win.
Parker made five saves to earn the win for Union, while Ninios amassed 20 saves to keep her team in the game.
Union will return to action on Wednesday with a 4 p.m. matchup against Hartwick College at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
