For the first time in the 32-year history of the series, St. Mary’s College of Maryland field hockey pushed nationally ranked Salisbury University into overtime Saturday — and very nearly walked away with the upset.
St. Mary’s College (3-4) held the No. 2 Sea Gulls (6-1) scoreless through 60 minutes of regulation, forcing the first of two sudden-victory 10-minute overtime periods. The stalemate didn’t last long. Salisbury drew a penalty corner just under three minutes in, and the ensuing play drew a penalty stroke for an intentional defensive foul in the circle. Devon DeGregory stepped to the penalty spot, seven yards out, and buried a low shot into the bottom right corner 3 minutes and 13 seconds into overtime to send Salisbury back to the win column, 1-0.
It was as tight as the series has been in more than a decade. The result marks just the third time in 33 meetings that Salisbury has beaten St. Mary’s by a single goal — the others coming in a 1-0 loss in St. Mary’s City in 2010 and a 2-1 home loss on March 27, 2021.
St. Mary’s mustered only two shots all game, both in the first quarter. Sophomore forward Josie Mascolo tested Salisbury goalkeeper Maddie Castaneda at the 9:07 mark, and 34 seconds later sophomore midfielder Julie Presgraves had a shot blocked. From there, the Seahawks’ defense did the heavy lifting, absorbing a 22-2 shot disadvantage and a lopsided 16-2 penalty-corner deficit over the full 63-plus minutes.
Junior goalkeeper Sophia Kent made five saves to keep St. Mary’s within reach, while the rest of the Seahawks’ defensive unit blocked 12 additional Salisbury shots that never reached the cage. Castaneda made one save in recording her third clean sheet of the season for Salisbury. Layla Kent — younger sister of St. Mary’s netminder Sophia Kent — led all shooters with six attempts for the Sea Gulls.
St. Mary’s returns to action Sept. 30 at No. 11 Stevenson in Owings Mills, before traveling to Gwynedd Mercy on Oct. 3.
