PHILADELPHIA – For the second time this weekend, the University of Pennsylvania field hockey team was victorious in overtime.
Today in University City, the Quakers were 2-1 winners over Drexel after freshman Elita van Staden converted a penalty stroke which was drawn by
Erin Quinn just over four minutes into the extra period. Penn is now 5-1 in its last six games and 5-6 on the season.
NOTES
*Van Staden scored her third collegiate goal and second game-winner today. Both game winners came from converted penalty strokes.
*Quinn scored her second goal of the season today, tying the game at 1-1 with a cool chipped finish.
*
Maddy Fagan provided the assist on Quinn's goal, splitting the defense with a weighted pass into the circle. The assist was Fagan's third of the season and second of the weekend. The sophomore leads the team with 13 points after two goals and two assists this weekend.
*After an 0-5 start, Penn has won five of its last six to move to 5-6 on the season.
*Once again,
Gracyn Banks graced the field for all 64 minutes of today's contest. She has not missed a minute of play all season.
*Penn outshot Drexel 17-2. Drexel's two shots is the lowest amount allowed all season for the Quakers. Concurrently, it is the seventh time Penn has had 16 or more shots in a game this season.
*Four of Penn's five wins this season have been come-from-behind victories.
*Penn has now won its past five against the Dragons.
*The Quakers' two game-winning goals this weekend came at nearly the exact same point in the overtime period.
Meghan Ward's game-winner against Dartmouth came at 63:31 while van Staden's stroke came at 63:34.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Coming off a four-goal performance against Dartmouth on Saturday, it didn't take long for the Quakers' offense to get going in today's game. Utilizing a high press, Penn held possession in the Drexel half for most of the opening period.
Jordyn Thies forced a save from the Dragons' Megan Hadfield in just the fourth minute of play.
The chances continued to come for the Quakers, with Ward, Banks, and
Reese Vogel all having shots blocked off penalty corners.
Play simmered down in the second quarter. The Dragons defended well and cut out Penn's passing lines. The hosts had the only shot of the period—a shot which went wide of the mark.
The Quakers regrouped at the half and came out with a more organized approach. Still pressing high, Fagan intercepted a wayward pass from a Drexel back just outside the circle. She dribbled to the top of the key and launched a shot, but the Drexel keeper booted it away.
Going against the run of play, Drexel earned a corner. The hosts made the most of their chance, converting their second shot of the day to take a 1-0 lead midway through the third.
Penn began to make a flurry of quick substitutions to keep fresh legs on the turf and increase the pace of its attacking play. The field tilted in favor of the Quakers and chances became more plentiful.
Fagan collected the ball in the middle of the field and dribbled toward goal. She played a nicely weighted pass into the circle to Quinn. Going away from goal, Quinn utilized a tidy touch to gain space and sweetly scooped the ball over the keeper and into the cage to tie the game at 1-1.
The Quakers ramped up the offensive pressure with seven shots—five on target—in the final quarter of regulation, but none could beat Hadfield as Penn entered overtime for the second time in as many days.
It didn't take long for Penn to find the breakthrough in overtime. With fewer players and more space available on the turf, Quinn collected the ball with plenty of green ahead of her. She dribbled the ball into the circle, beat one defender, then drew a penalty stroke after an illegal touch from a Drexel defender.
Van Staden—Penn's stroke specialist—stepped up to the task and made no mistake, smoothly slotting the ball past the keeper's left to ensure the University City bragging rights stayed with Penn.
UP NEXT
The Quakers look ahead to an Ivy League night under the lights as Penn heads to the Big Apple to take on Columbia on Friday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m.
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#FightOnPenn
