Quakers Play Overtime Match With Wittenberg

For Immediate Release
Sept. 21, 2006

RICHMOND, Ind. — A goal after the clock expired ended the hopes of the Earlham College field hockey squad Thursday as the Quakers dropped a 5-4 overtime decision to Wittenberg University.
  
With the match tied at 4-4, the two North Coast Athletic Conference foes battled for 15 extra minutes before Wittenberg scored with no time remaining. “That’s what is even more heartbreaking,” Earlham Head Coach Jill Butcher said. “We didn’t even lose in the overtime. We lost with no time left on the clock because the game can not end on a penalty corner.”

There was approximately 24 seconds left when a penalty corner was called. Wittenberg was ready for the final play with about 10 seconds remaining. “You play out the corner,” Butcher said. “Once the ball passes out of the circle, it’s done. Wittenberg got off two good passes and they did an excellent job of executing. If we could have just got a stick on it, we probably would have been in double overtime.”

Butcher was pleased with her team’s effort. “We got a lot of breaks, but we didn’t take advantage of some of the opportunities,” she said. “It’s definitely one of the toughest losses in my coaching career, but good things did happen. We took some big steps and we have to keep taking big steps.”

Earlham got on the scoreboard first with an unassisted goal from sophomore Alexa Gabriel (Silver Spring, MD/Montgomery Blair) at 1:32. “That was a big boost for our team,” Butcher said.
 
Wittenberg (4-3, 2-1) scored three times in the first half to take a 3-1 lead. “What impressed me the most is that we kept answering goals when we got behind,” Butcher said. “We showed what we are made of. I saw a lot of character and mental toughness that we’ve needed to see all season.”

With 22 seconds left in the opening period junior Liz Buehler (Hartland, WI/Arrowhead) scored on a penalty stroke to make 3-2 at intermission.

In the second half, the Quakers bounced back with a pair of goals to go in front 4-3. Senior Becca Jordan (Montpelier, VT/Montpelier) found the net at 45:33 and 55:54 with first-year Cassie Gage (West Carrollton, OH/Fairmont) assisting on both plays.

The Tigers scored at 61:52 to tie the contest and send the contest to the extra session.

Sophomore goalkeeper Katherine McDonough (Louisville, KY/St. Francis) had five save for the Quakers who were outshot 19-12.

Earlham (0-6, 0-4) returns to action Tuesday at home against Transylvania University. The non-conference match starts at 5 p.m. Box Score.

—EC —

Contact:
Don Tincher, sports information director
765/983-1795 — E-Mail Don