September 27, 2011

Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University field hockey team won a double-overtime thriller over visiting Radford University 3-2 in the Lancers' Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference (NorPac) opener on Tuesday evening at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. Longwood scored two goals in less than one minute to tie the match at 2-2 late in the second half before sophomore Stacey de Grandhomme|Cape Town, South Africa (Table View)  scored the match-winner in the 96th minute for the Lancers (5-6, 1-0 NorPac) against the Highlanders (4-6, 0-2 NorPac). Longwood returns to action on Saturday, October 1, when it faces NorPac foe Davidson College at 12 p.m. in Davidson, North Carolina.

Radford led 2-0 after a pair of goals by Courtney Poole, the first at 26:27 and the second at 45:11. Senior Olga Knop|Berlin, Germany (Werner-von-Siemens-Gymnasium) scored at 58:03 as she sent a hard shot off a rebound into the cage to cut the Radford lead to 2-1. Freshman Jessica Diaz|Chesapeake (Western Branch) tied the match at 2-2 at 59:00 when she tipped a shot at the left post from junior Kaity Byrum|Suffolk (Lakeland). The Lancers attempted to ride the momentum and drew a penalty corner in the 65th minute, but a shot by de Grandhomme sailed wide. The two teams ended regulation tied 2-2. Both teams attempted just one shot in the first 15-minute, seven vs. seven overtime period. In the second overtime period, the Lancers almost broke through in the 87th minute, but a shot by senior Lauren Sullivan|Fredericksburg (Stafford) was stopped by defender Lynsey Daughtrey on the goal line. Minutes later, Longwood had a penalty corner that was cleared quickly by the Highlanders who had a three-on-one breakaway. Junior goalkeeper Kaye Goulding|Tickhill, England (Wakefield Girls) came out of the cage and kicked the ball away at the top of the circle to stop the attack. Minutes later, after the teams traded possession several times in the midfield, de Grandhomme took a pass from senior Sarah Bietsch|Chambersburg, Pa. (Chambersburg Area) and blasted a shot from the top of the circle at 95:03 that hit the wood in the cage to give the Lancers the 3-2 victory.

Radford outshot the Lancers 22-17 and had an 8-6 advantage on penalty corners, however, Longwood had a 3-1 edge in shots in the second overtime period. de Grandhomme paced the Lancers with a match-high six shots, including four shots on goal. Goulding tied her career-high with 14 saves in 95:03 in goal. Radford was paced by Poole with two goals on five shots. Sidney Encarnacion played the duration in goal and recorded eight saves.