October 7, 2009

Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University field hockey team defeated Virginia Commonwealth University of the Colonial Athletic Association 1-0 in overtime on Wednesday evening at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. Sophomore Amanda Babineau/Stafford (Mountain View) scored the game-winning goal off a pass from senior Kelsey Turner/Virginia Beach (Tallwood) 5:35 into overtime. The Lancers (4-6) extended their winning streak against the Rams (6-5) to four games. Longwood returns to action on Saturday, October 10, when it hosts NorPac foe Appalachian State University at 2 p.m. at the Athletics Complex.

Both teams struggled to find any offensive rhythm in the first half. Longwood attempted two shots and two corners and VCU had three shots with one corner.

The intensity picked up in the second half. VCU had a corner in the 44th minute but Longwood goalkeeper Erin Bollinger/Midlothian (Clover Hill) came up with a diving save to stop a hard shot by Rachel Krumm and kept the game tied. Longwood's Julia Hernandez/Norfolk (Maury) had the best scoring opportunity in the second half but her shot was deflected by the VCU goalkeeper. The Rams had one last opportunity to win in regulation but a shot by Marle van Dessel was stopped by Bollinger. A follow-up shot bounced off a VCU player's foot, ending the threat.

Longwood controlled the ball for much of overtime. The Lancers got two shots off in the first three minutes but both went wide. The tie was finally broken when senior Turner took the ball down the right sideline and sent a pass into the circle. Babineau put a shot past the goalkeeper to give Longwood a 1-0 win.

“VCU is a local rival,” said Longwood head coach Iain Byers. “It means a lot for us to continue the streak against VCU. Kelsey (Turner) played great for us today. She stepped up and was a true leader, in the way she played and the way she carried herself. The whole team worked extremely hard today and it paid off.”

Bollinger had four saves for Longwood. Babineau led the Lancers with three shots while Hernandez and freshman Christine Verhulst/Yorktown (Grafton) each had two shots with one on goal. Marle van Dessel paced VCU with four shots, two of them on goal. Megan Botteri had three saves in goal for the Rams.

Longwood out-shot VCU 8-7, including 3-1 in overtime. VCU edged Longwood 3-2 in penalty corners.