Vikings top Seahawks in double OT, 4-3

SALEM, Mass. — The Salve Regina University field hockey team rallied back from an early 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 second half lead before eventually falling to Salem State in double overtime by a score of 4-3.

Senior Courtney Lynch (North Andover, Mass.) scored the game winning goal midway through the second overtime period to give the Vikings the victory.  With the win Salem State improves its record to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the Little East Conference.  Salve Regina falls to 1-1 on the season.   

Salem State opened up the game with an unassisted goal by Lynch just under four minutes into the first half.  Junior Lauren Pazdziorny (Middleton, Mass.) scored on a reverse stick sweep to the back corner of the net to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead going into halftime.

Salve Regina would answer back with three unanswered goals in the second half.  Freshman Allison Gold (Greenlawn, N.Y.), and classmate Abigail Tepper (Foxboro, Mass.) scored unassisted to tie the game 2-2, just over ten minutes into the second half.  Senior Emma St. Laurent (Seekonk, Mass.) redirected a pass from junior Lisa Bucci (Irvington, N.Y.) to give the Seahawks their first lead of the game 3-2.

The Vikings responded and found the net once again on a goal by freshman Paige McNickol (Marlboro, Mass.) assisted by Pazdiorny.

With the score tied 3-3 both teams had many chances to claim victory in both overtimes.  Salve took 9 shots in the two extra periods but could not get past junior goalkeeper Michaela Boyer (South Hadley, Mass.) who made a total of 14 saves in the game, five in the two overtime frames, to earn the victory in net.

Salve Regina had the edge in corners (13 to 10), and took 28 shots to Salem State's 21. Sophomore Murphy McCann (Westerly, R.I.) made nine saves in net for the Seahawks.

The Vikings are back in action on Saturday afternoon as the host conference foe Fitchburg State at 1 p.m. on Alumni Field.  The Seahawks next game is on Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. when they host Wheaton College.    

Release Courtesy of Salem State Sports Information