Engineers Fall to WPI, 2-1, In Overtime
Courtesy of WPI Sports Information
WORCESTER, Mass. - Senior Kelly
Johnson scored the equalizer with just 1:26 to go in
regulation and Celena Dopart broke the deadlock with the
game-winner 4:05 into overtime to give WPI a thrilling 2-1 victory
over visiting MIT in NEWMAC Field Hockey action on Saturday
afternoon. The win gives WPI its first conference win of the season
(1-0), improving to 7-1 overall. MIT falls to 7-2 overall and 0-1
in the conference.
WPI was kept off the scoreboard for most of the game before
getting on the board late in the second half. Senior midfielder
Jackie McDonough nearly tied the score with six minutes to play,
but was denied on a breakaway opportunity by MIT goalkeeper Keri
Dixon. The homestanding Engineers kept the pressure on
however, in an attempt to tie the score before time ran out. The
WPI offense earned a corner with under 90 seconds to play in
regulation, setting up Johnson's game-tying heroics. Maggie Wigley
took the corner, which was stick-stopped by Dopart and smashed into
the back of the MIT net by Johnson for the equalizer. The goal was
Johnson's team-high fifth of the year.
WPI staved off a late MIT rally to send the game into overtime.
WPI controlled the ball for the first few minutes of the overtime
period, leading to the winning goal. McDonough intercepted the ball
and moved it deep into MIT territory before sending a cross in
front of the goal mouth and connecting with Dopart, who powered a
shot past Dixon for WPI's fifth consecutive win.
MIT jumped out to the early lead in the first half on a Kimberly
Barker goal 3:28 into the contest, assisted by Katie Kauffman. The
goal was Barker's team-leading 10th of the season. Dixon made five
saves for the visitors. Allie Griffin made nine saves for the
hosts.
MIT held a decided advantage in penalty corners, 15-6, in the game.
The Cambridge Engineers outshot their Worcester counterparts 13-11,
although WPI took the five of the final six shots of the game as
momentum shifted in the hosts' favor.
WPI hits the road for its next contest, when they will take on
Nichols this Tuesday evening at 7pm in Dudley. MIT is also on
the road on Tuesday night at 7pm when they will face Endicott.