Box Score

Garden City, N.Y. - The Adelphi University field hockey team were inches away from a dramatic victory but were edged by Southern Connecticut State University 3-2 in sudden death overtime at Motamed Field on Tuesday. The Panthers held a 2-1 lead into the 55th minute, but the Owls tied it at 2-all and used a goal by Erica Fisher to earn their first Northeast-10 Conference win of the season. Adelphi now stands at 5-7 overall and 2-2 in NE-10 play.

The Panthers got on the board first  with a goal by senior Jessica Mulhern, who knocked in a point-blank one-timer off a pass from classmate Jeanette Heimerle in the 20th minute. About 11 minutes later, SCSU's Fisher answered by flushing a rebound from the left side to tie the game at 1-1.

The tie game stood up just four minutes into the second half, and junior Cassie Cabral scored the go-ahead goal on an assist by senior Alexandra Dranoff. The Owls had an answer yet again, however, and Laurie Cockerline blasted in a goal at 55:23 to make it 2-2.

Adelphi saw several opportunities to take the late lead, including a shot by senior Julianne Gerbino that sailed just wide left and a turnaround chip shot by Cabral with 1:43 left that SCSU goalie Nicole Scionti kicked away despite Cabral's immediate proximity to the cage.

The Owls poured on the offensive intensity in the overtime period and forced the Panthers to go on the defensive. Junior Emilee Rahner kept Adelphi alive three minutes into the extra frame when she picked up a key defensive save against the left post, but minutes later Fisher connected on a rebound after a mad scramble in front of the net to seal the win for the Owls.

Scionti made a game-high 12 saves for SCSU, while senior goalie Lucia Vigliotti turned aside eight shots for Adelphi.

The Panthers return to action with back-to-back NE-10 road games this weekend, beginning with Saint Anselm on Saturday and Saint Michael's on Sunday.