BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The St. Mary’s College of Maryland field hockey team suffered a tough loss on Sunday, Oct. 6, in double overtime against Bridgewater College. The Seahawks (3-8) were edged out 2-1 by the Eagles (6-3) in a non-conference matchup, marking St. Mary’s second overtime defeat of the season.
How It Happened
The game was decided in the second overtime period when Bridgewater was awarded a penalty corner just moments into the frame. Daphne Daymude, taking the initial shot from the right side of the circle, aimed toward the far-left post. St. Mary’s midfielder Josie Shermeyer (Harrisburg, Pa./East Pennsboro Area) successfully blocked the shot at the goal line. However, Bridgewater’s Mollie Best was quick to react and netted the rebound, securing the game-winning goal at 71:18.
St. Mary’s had started the game strong, capitalizing on their first penalty corner. Senior captain Charlotte Horn (Schnecksville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) led the charge, dribbling in from the top of the circle before delivering a short pass to junior forward Brenna Ziegler (Newark, Del./Newark Charter). Ziegler spun to her right and fired the ball into the back of the cage at 13:16, giving the Seahawks an early 1-0 lead.
The Seahawks held that one-goal advantage into halftime, thanks in part to a solid performance from first-year goalkeeper Sophia Kent (Chesterville, Md./Gunston). Kent successfully turned away all three of Bridgewater’s shots in the second quarter, maintaining St. Mary’s edge.
Bridgewater managed to equalize the score in the third quarter when Rylie Flick sent a diagonal pass to the right post, allowing Lexi Francis to sweep the ball into the goal at 39:42. From that point, both teams battled fiercely to break the tie. Kent and Bridgewater goalkeeper Madalyn Miller were instrumental in the fourth quarter and the first overtime, making key saves to keep the game locked at 1-1.
Inside the Box Score
Bridgewater outshot St. Mary’s 13-7 overall and held a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal. The Eagles also had an 8-2 edge in penalty corners, which proved critical in their overtime success.
For St. Mary’s, Ziegler’s goal was her team-leading sixth of the season. Junior forward Briana Allen (Bowie, Md./Mount de Sales) led the Seahawks with two shots, both on goal. Shermeyer notched her first defensive save of the season, while Kent finished the game with six saves in a strong effort.
On the Bridgewater side, Ashlyn Nau started in goal and made one save in the first half before Miller took over for the final 41 minutes, recording three stops to secure the victory.
What’s Next for the Seahawks
The Seahawks will look to bounce back in their next game on Oct. 9, when they host Mary Washington (8-4) at JLR Stadium in St. Mary’s City, Md. The game is set for a 6 p.m. start. They will then travel to Middletown, Pa., on Oct. 12 to take on Penn State Harrisburg (7-3, 1-0 UEC) at 11 a.m.
