Field Hockey Edged by Anna Maria in Double Overtime, 4-3

PAXTON, Mass. -- Sophomore forward Nicole Denver (Springfield, Mass.) scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner in double overtime, to lift the Anna Maria College field hockey team to a 4-3 victory over visiting Bridgewater State University on Thursday afternoon at AMCAT Field.

Denver tallied the game-winner with 4:32 remaining in the second overtime period off an assist from sophomore midfielder Jacqueline Lapierre (Worcester, Mass.).

The host AMCATS improve to 7-4 on the season with the win, while the Bears slip to 5-4.

Bridgewater State erased a 3-1 second half deficit on scoring strikes by freshman midfielder Samantha Hayes (Norwood, Mass.) and senior forward Kelsey Kiely (Mansfield, Mass.). Hayes potted her first collegiate goal, an unassisted tally in the 58th minute, to pull the Bears to within one. Kiely tied it at 3-3 in the 64th minute with her third goal of the season with senior midfielder Emily Mosca (Dedham, Mass.) picking up the assist.

Senior goaltender Mary Kate Breen (Londonderry, N.H.) was very busy between the pipes for the AMCATS. Breen recorded a season-high 23 saves including 13 in the second half alone. BSU junior netminder Kaylyn Allahyarian (Norwell, Mass.) turned aside ten shots for the Bears, while sophomore defender Christine Curran (Ayer, Mass.) registered a defensive save.

Anna Maria held a 2-0 lead at the intermission. Senior midfielder Kayla Lapierre (Worcester, Mass.) found the back of the net just 82 seconds into the game off an assist from classmate Kylie Dalbec (Portland, Maine). Lapierre set up Denver's first goal of the afternoon with just 25 seconds remaining in the opening stanza.

Senior forward Brittney Field (Hubbardston, Mass.) pulled the Bears to within a goal at 2-1 less than three minutes into the second half. Field converted a pass from Kiely for her third marker of the season.

Dalbec regained the two-goal advantage for the AMCATS in the 48th minute with Jacqueline Lapierre setting up the strike.

Bridgewater State held a 31-23 shot advantage as well as a 14-10 edge in penalty corners. The Bears poured on 17 shots in the second half when they scored all three of their goals.