PAXTON, Mass. – Junior Sheridan Blaha (Waltham, Mass.) scored her second goal of the game eight minutes into overtime Wednesday evening, lifting Lasell University to a 2-1 victory over Anna Maria College in a key Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) field hockey contest at Caparso Field.

The Lasers improve to 5-6 overall and 4-1 in the GNAC, while Anna Maria drops to 3-8 overall and 2-4 in conference play.

Blaha scored the only goal of the first half in the 13th minute, and her second goal was the game-winner. Blaha leads the team in scoring with six goals and four assists on the season. Sophomore Lily Stark (Saco, Maine) picked up an assist on the first goal and junior Sage Dodier (Amesbury, Mass.) assisted on the game-winner.

The Lasers led 1-0 after Blaha capitalized on a misplay by the AMCATS to chip the ball in off the keeper. Time appeared to be running out for the AMCATS late in the fourth quarter, Anna Maria sophomore Nicole LaCoste (Rochdale, Mass.) took a pass from grad student forward Brittney Cherry (Worcester, Mass.) and found the back of the net for her second career goal to tie it up at 1-1 and ultimately sending it into overtime.

In overtime, the Lasers took control, being awarded five penalty corners. The AMCAT defense held until 2:08 to go in the first overtime period when Blaha got the ball off a corner and scored her second goal of the game as the Lasers celebrated.

Lasell freshman goalkeeper Courtney Tello (Nashua, N.H.) finished with 10 saves in a near shutout. Anna Maria sophomore Chloe Giordano (Revere, Mass.) in her first start of the season, tallied four saves in the first half, and junior goalkeeper Hannah Tobey (Falmouth, Mass.) played the second half, recording seven stops for the rest of the game.

The Lasers return home to host Dean College this Saturday at 11 a.m in a GNAC encounter at Grellier Field. Anna Maria will be back on the field on Saturday when they host Sweet Briar College for a 10:30 a.m. contest.

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