NEWTON, Mass. – Junior Bella Silva (Danvers, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal with eight seconds remaining in the first overtime Wednesday afternoon to lift Colby-Sawyer College to a dramatic 3-2 victory over Lasell University in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) field hockey regular-season finale at Grellier Field.
Silva's game-winner capped a late comeback by the Chargers, who trailed late in regulation play until grad student Julia Lanctot (Sandown, N.H.) scored on a penalty stroke with 51 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the score and force overtime.
The upset-minded Lasers pulled ahead 2-1 with 7:01 remaining in the fourth quarter on a goal by junior Sheridan Blaha (Waltham, Mass.), hoping to thwart Colby-Sawyer's chance to clinch at least a share of the GNAC regular-season title.
The outcome gives the Chargers their fourth straight victory, improving them to 14-3 overall and 10-1 in conference play, while Lasell finishes up at 7-10 overall and 6-5 in the GNAC. Colby-Sawyer will share the regular season title or win it outright, depending upon the outcome of Wednesday night's contest between Johnson & Wales University and Regis College. Lasell finishes in a tie for sixth place in the GNAC with the loser of Wednesday evening's regular season finale between Elms College and Rivier University.
After a scoreless first quarter, Colby-Sawyer took the lead with eight minutes to go in the second quarter on a goal by freshman Courtney Larson (Auburn, Maine). Lasell nearly tied the score in the final minute before halftime but an apparent Laser goal was waived off by a violation before the goal was scored.
The Lasers evened the score at 1-1 midway through the third quarter when junior Mya Maxim (China, Maine) slammed home a pass from classmate Kensie Lennon (Jamestown, R.I.), and then took the lead when Sheridan finished off her own rebound midway through the fourth quarter for her team-leading 10th goal of the season.
Colby-Sawyer finished with a 26-10 advantage in shots and a 14-4 margin in penalty corners. Lasell freshman Courtney Tello (Nashua, N.H.) finished with 11 saves, including several key stops in the fourth quarter as Colby-Sawyer upped the pressure on Laser goal. Junior Lauren Wilkinson (Lynn, Mass.) made seven saves for the Chargers.
The GNAC playoffs will begin this Saturday at the sites of the top four seeds, with Colby-Sawyer hosting a first-round game while Lasell will be on the road. The full GNAC Tournament slate will be announced at the end of all of Wednesday's games.
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