NEW YORK – A whirlwind game which featured four lead changes and four ties did not end in the University of Pennsylvania field hockey team's favor. With the Quakers down 4-5 and under a minute on the clock, Elita van Staden scored her second goal of the game to send Penn to overtime for the third-straight time this season. However, the hosts struck quick in the extra period to take a 6-5 victory.
 
The loss moves Penn to 5-7 on the season and an even 2-2 in Ivy League play. It also ends a three-game winning streak over the previous two weeks.
 
NOTES
*Erin Quinn netted a pair of goals tonight and now ranks second on the team with ten points. She has scored three goals in her last two games.
 
*Van Staden scored a brace, including a goal with 40 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. The freshman is now tied for first on the team with five goals.
 
*Erin Kelly tallied a pair of assists tonight and now leads the team with six. It is the second time she has provided two assists in an Ivy League game this season.
 
*Alexa Schneck tallied a pair of assists tonight. In 25 Ivy League games, she has 36 points with 13 goals and ten assists.
 
*Meghan Ward opened the scoring today with a goal in the final seconds of the first quarter. The goal was her third this season, with all three coming in Ivy League play.
 
*Penn outshot Columbia 20-12 tonight and 13-7 in the second half.
 
*The Quakers earned 16 corners to Columbia's four.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn dominated in the first quarter, setting up shop in Columbia's half. Within the first two minutes of the game, Maddy Fagan and Madison Jiranek forced a pair of saves from the Lions' Alexa Conomikes. The Quakers continued to pressure and found the breakthrough in the final minute of the quarter.
 
Utilizing a high press, Jordyn Thies won the ball and carried it into the circle. She centered a pass to Ward who hammered it into the back of the cage to give Penn a 1-0 lead.
 
Columbia clawed back it in the second quarter. The Lions tied the game with a rebounded shot into an open net in the 27th minute, then took the lead two minutes later after a corner to enter the half up 2-1.
 
Penn came out after the break and fielded an immediate response to regain the lead. Van Staden rifled a shot from the top of the circle following a corner to knot the game at 2-2. One minute and one second later, Quinn put Penn in front, hitting in a loose ball after a pair of blocked shots.
 
The Quakers doubled its lead later in the quarter, with Quinn on target once again. Reese Vogel won the ball around midfield, hit the spin cycle to beat a defender, and passed to Schneck. Schneck then laid off a lovely ball to Quinn, who beat the keeper for a 4-2 lead in the third quarter.
 
The hosts responded to Penn's three unanswered goals with three unanswered goals of their own—two coming off penalty corners—to take a 5-4 lead.
 
The Quakers took it on the chin and immediately looked to respond. Quinn, Schneck, and van Staden each launched shots on goal in the final 10 minutes of the game, but Conomikes reacted well to make a trio of saves.
 
With the clock now ticking under a minute, Penn continued to fight on. A blocked shot with 45 seconds remaining gave the Quakers a penalty corner. Kelly inserted the ball to Vogel at the top of the circle, who settled it for van Staden. The freshman ripped a shot which ricocheted off the back of the cage to tie it at 5-5 and send the game to overtime.
 
Penn's jubilation was swiftly smote early in the overtime period. With just over a minute off the clock, Columbia converted on its first shot of the period to take the high-scoring affair.
 
UP NEXT
The Quakers return to Ellen Vagelos Field to face No. 11 Delaware on Sunday at noon.