ITHACA, N.Y. – Ithaca's Juliana Valli scored just over three minutes into overtime and The University of Scranton field hockey team (7-2) dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to the Bombers (6-3) in non-conference action on Wednesday night at Higgins Stadium in Ithaca.
The Bombers' Natalie Descalso had an initial shot off the penalty corner and Valli deflected it home for the game-winner.
Junior goalie Gianna Travia (Havertown, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) made a key early save for the Royals in the sixth minute and the two teams played to a defensive stalemate through the remainder of the first two quarters as Travia added two more saves with shots off penalty corners to keep things scoreless at the break.
The third quarter proved to be much of the same and junior Reagan Dolan (Broomall, Pa./Bonner & Prendergast) saw her shot go just wide of the cage in the 36th minute as things remained scoreless. Scranton had a couple of chances from Dolan and senior Katie Redding (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) in the fourth quarter and were able to hold Ithaca to just one shot, but the game headed to overtime with both defenses holding strong.
Sophomore Annie Coll (Oreland, Pa./Springfield Twp.) threatened for the Royals in the 63rd minute, but Ithaca goalie Alex Clough made a save and the Bombers then scored the game-winner just over a minute later.
Ithaca held a 12-5 shot advantage in the contest and Dolan led the Royals with a pair, while Travia registered three saves in the contest.
Scranton hits the road to battle No. 21 Catholic on Saturday afternoon in Washington, D.C. with start time set for 12 p.m.
--ROYALS--
