HOBOKEN, N.J. (November 4, 2009) – Senior captain Kara Borzillo put home a beautiful pass from freshman Marguerite Chavez 8:26 into overtime to lift the No. 19 Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team to a thrilling, 2-1, win over visiting SUNY New Paltz on Wednesday night at the De Baun Athletic Complex. Chavez scored the other Stevens goal late in the first half to tie the score at one apiece. The win improves the Ducks to 15-3 overall, and they will now turn their sights to the Empire 8 Field Hockey Championship which begins in Hoboken on Saturday afternoon.
Stevens dominated the first half but New Paltz was able to get on the board first with a goal from junior Sarah Schloss (Brant Lake, N.Y.). She was able to put in her own rebound on the right side of the goal at the 30:53 mark. The Ducks were able to tie the score at 1-all just 1:14 later when they converted on their seventh penalty corner of the first half. Borzillo hit out to the top of the circle to senior Erin Broderick. Broderick controlled and slid left to Chavez who laced a shot into the lower-left corner of the goal. It was Broderick's third assist and Chavez's ninth goal.
The Ducks ended the first half with a 12-2 edge in shots and a 7-0 advantage in corners.
Neither team generated many quality chances in the second half. Stevens took five shots but only one on goal and New Paltz took one.
In overtime, Stevens looked to have the game won when Borzillo took a pass back after she hit out on a penalty corner but her shot hit the post and went out of bounds. Moments later, Stevens got two more shots but could not convert as the Hawks could not get the ball out of their own zone.
The game-winner came at the 78:26 mark and like Stevens' first goal, it came after a corner. Borzillo hit up top to Broderick, who slid to Chavez. The freshman controlled, and made a perfect pass to Borzillo who was three yards off the left post, and she ripped a perfect shot into the left corner. The goal was Borzillo's fourth game-winner and it was the team-high eighth assist for Chavez.
The Ducks outshot New Paltz, 24-3, and held a 14-2 advantage in corners. Junior Ellyn Griggs got the win in goal for the Ducks, she made one save and is now 15-3 on the season. Junior Elizabeth Tong (Woodstock, N.Y.) took the loss for New Paltz. She made five saves.
Stevens finishes the regular season with an 8-1 record at home and a 5-2 record in overtime games.
The Ducks will host Ithaca College at 12 p.m. on Saturday at the De Baun Athletic Complex in the first Empire 8 Field Hockey Championship semifinal. Second-seeded Hartwick College and third-seeded Washington & Jefferson College will play 60 minutes after and the winners of each game will square off in the championship game Sunday at a time yet to be determined. All of the action will be webcast live at www.PennAtlantic.com/main.php.
