HOBOKEN, N.J. (Oct. 11, 2021) – Junior Lynda Farinella collected a pass from classmate Natalie Logan on a breakaway opportunity in the second minute of overtime and beat three defenders as well as the goalkeeper to send the Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team to a 2-1 OT victory over William Paterson University Monday night at the DeBaun Athletic Complex.

The Ducks won their ninth consecutive game to tie the program record for consecutive victories, matching the nine-game win streak set back in the 2008 season when Stevens finished with a 19-4 record and won the Empire 8 Conference before advancing to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.

Stevens is now 10-2 on the season and have reached double figures in wins in each of the last three seasons on Castle Point while the Pioneers fell to 7-5 overall this year.

The Ducks conceded a goal in the 58th minute of the contest to snap their consecutive scoreless minutes streak at 239. It is the second-longest streak in program history behind only a string of 288 minutes in the 2009 season.

In the nine-game win streak, Stevens has outscored its opponents 30-8 and have won three overtime contests. The Ducks a perfect 4-0 in overtime contests this season, with four different student-athletes registering the game-winner in each game.

Allison Buffenbarger got Stevens on the board first in the 44th minute on what was the lucky number 13th penalty corner of the game for the Ducks.

Senior Aryana Muscara inserted the ball to the top of the circle for Kila Eadie who quickly passed the ball across the top of the circle over to Buffenbarger. Both Muscara and Eadie were credited with an assist when the Buffenbarger then ripped a shot past the keeper to put Stevens on top 1-0.

Buffenbarger has now scored two goals and has an assist in her last three games.

Muscara, meanwhile, continues her torrid start to the season as she has produced at least one point in nine of the 12 games she has played in this year. The reigning MAC Freedom Player of the Week is now tied for the league lead wit 26 points this season.

It looked as if the Ducks would come away with another shutout victory as they held the 1-0 lead into the 58th minute of game action.

William Paterson did not go away, however, as Alicia Mitchell tied the game after she fired a shot that was saved by senior Emily Franco, collected her own rebound and then delivered on a tough angle shot across the face of the cage for her seventh score on the year.

The two teams then headed to overtime where Farinella delivered the game-winner just 1:16 into the extra time. It was the second game-winning goal for Farinella in her career and she has now scored four goals in her last six games and has found the back of the cage in back-to-back games for the first time in her career.

Stevens, who came into the contest ranked sixth in DIII in penalty corners per game, racked up 18 more set piece opportunities to increase their season average to 12.08 per contest.

Inside the Numbers

• The Ducks outshot the Pioneers 27-5 in the game and held a 9-5 edge in shots on goal.
• Franco made four saves in goal as she improved her season record to 10-2. The senior out of West Chester, Pa., has the same impressive 10-2 record in overtime contests in her career.
• Buffenbarger led the team with six shots on the night while Logan and Eadie both had five of their own.
• Stevens started the game forcing the issue on the offensive end as they forced 10 penalty corners in the first five minutes of the first quarter.
• Mitchell, the goal scorer for William Patterson, led the Pioneers with three shots, all of which were on goal.
• The 10-2 start for Stevens matches the 2009 season for the best start in program history.
• Farinella becomes the seventh different Stevens student-athlete to score a game-winner this season for the Ducks.
• Stevens has now conceded less than six shots to its opponents in four straight games and five times total this season.
• Muscara's six assists this season leads the team and is tied for second in the MAC Freedom.
• As a team, Stevens now leads the MAC Freedom in goals allowed per game (1.42), corners per game (12.08) and save percentage (.776).

From the Sidelines (Head Coach Meredith Spencer-Blaetz)

• "I continue to be so impressed with this group. They are so connected, and they gel together all over the field. Even with limited practice time in the past week, they are growing and learning every time we step out on the field. Credit to a stifling William Paterson defense. We are ready to set our full attention back on conference play when we celebrate our seniors this weekend."

Next Up

• The Ducks return to the field Saturday as they face off against Misericordia in a matchup of the only two remaining unbeaten teams in conference play at the DeBaun Athletic Complex at 1:00 p.m.
• Stevens will honor its fifth-year and senior student-athletes prior to the game.
• The Cougars knocked off the Ducks 2-1 in double overtime in 2019 in the only contest between the two teams in history.
• Live stats and video will be available on StevensDucks.com.

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