NCAA Division III Field Hockey Semifinal

 

Defending Champion Salisbury Edges William Smith, 2-1, In Overtime On Penalty Stroke

 

WESTFIELD, Mass. - Senior back Erin Budd scored on a penalty stroke with 6:19 remaining in the first overtime to give defending champion Salisbury University a 2-1 victory over William Smith College in the first semifinal of the 2004 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship hosted by Westfield State College in Westfield, Massachusetts, on Nov. 19.

 

The penalty stroke was set up when Salisbury’s Lynette Sgrignoli was fouled on a breakaway in the circle by a William Smith defender. Budd lifted the ball over William Smith goalkeeper Susan Jordon’s blocker to extend Salisbury’s undefeated season and to run its unbeaten streak to 32 games dating back to October 14, 2003.

 

The penalty stroke was the second awarded to Salisbury during the game. Salisbury’s first penalty stroke attempt was awarded when the Sea Gulls had a two-on-two breakaway which forced the Herons into committing a foul in the circle with ten minutes remaining. Melissa Webster took the stroke and fired it to Jordan’s right which Jordan dove and stopped with her stick to keep the score level.

 

“We went with a different player on the second shot because their keeper knew where Webster would shoot,” Salisbury head coach Dawn Chamberlin said. “We went with someone to shoot the penalty stroke that they wouldn’t know.”

 

“We practice penalty strokes every and we have a good goalie to work with,” Budd said.

 

Salisbury controlled the majority of the play during the game, owning a 28-10 advantage in shots and a 20-7 advantage in penalty corners. But it was William Smith that took an early 1-0 advantage when Elizabeth Saucier took a free hit just outside the circle that junior forward Maggie Dolan collected and slid a shot to the left of Salisbury’s freshman goalkeeper Maria Ramoundos at the 29:38 mark of the first half.

 

Salisbury started taking control and kept the Herons under pressure, but struggled to solve Jordon, who had 19 saves in defeat. Salisbury’s Brittney Elliott had a deflection of the left post of the William Smith goal with under ten minutes remaining in the first half. Elliott had another chance off a penalty corner to Jordan’s left. Jordan made the initial stop and stopped the rebound opportunity by the Sea Gulls’ senior forward Megan Powell. Salisbury finished the half with an 11-1 advantage on penalty corners but still faced a 1-0 deficit entering the second half.

 

“I thought we dominated the game, but we weren’t able to get a handle on their goalie,” Chamberlin said. “I thought their goalie did a nice job.”

 

The second half started with a flurry as Salisbury earned another penalty corner. This time the Sea Gulls took advantage when Danielle Twilley fed the ball to sophomore Tracey Lloyd. Jordan made the initial stop, but Megan Powell corralled the rebound and put it away to even the score at 1-1 two minutes into the second half.

 

Salisbury kept the pressure on, as Tracey Lloyd had two chances near the goal line turned away by Jordan. Jordan continued to keep the Herons in the game as she stopped a blast from just inside the circle from Salisbury senior back Erin Budd off a penalty corner with 16:30 remaining.

 

William Smith applied the early pressure in the seven vs. seven overtime. The Herons had four successive penalty corners in the first three minutes of the overtime. Dolan had two chances to give William Smith the victory, but Ramoundos kicked both chances away.

 

“We took their best shots in regulation, and they took our best shots in the overtime,” William Smith head coach Sally Scatton said. “The overtime was very, very exciting to watch.”

 

“Our freshman goalie did an outstanding job defensively on the overtime corners,” Chamberlain said. “She really maintained her poise.”

 

The win was Salisbury’s first victory over William Smith in NCAA championship play. William Smith was 5-0 in NCAA semifinal play prior to today’s game, including victories over the Sea Gulls in the 1987, 1992 and 2000 semifinals. Salisbury advances to the final on Saturday at 3 p.m. where they look to win their second straight and third overall national title.

 

“I have to credit Salisbury for being a very worthy team,” Scatton said. “We knew we here going to have our hands full. They are an explosive, strong and fast team.”