Frostburg State University Athletics

FROSTBURG, Md. -  The Frostburg State field hockey team fell in overtime 4-3 to No. 9 Lander in their Friday home opener.

Early on, FSU fended off an early corner from LU, as neither side generated many offensive chances. Freshman Izzy Gibbons put a shot on goal in the sixth minute of play for the Bobcats, which was saved by keeper Avery Tworkoski. Then out of a penalty corner, senior Bri Macchia had an effort blocked before getting close to the goal. The Bearcats had their first real chance of the period come after 10 minutes, where Floor Mulder was denied by freshman goalkeeper Jenna Yazzetti off a corner. FSU was able to fend off a second corner, then at the other end, junior Rachel Young made her way into the arc and saw her shot saved by Tworkoski to end the first frame. 

FSU would get on the board first early in the second quarter, as senior Mikyla Rineer gathered the ball in midfield and passed ahead to classmate Sofia Boyle, who went on a run into the box and fired past Tworkoski for a 1-0 lead. With momentum on their side, Frostburg would strike again just three minutes later, when sophomore Caroline Earnshaw would make a run down the right side and find Rineer on a counterattack for the second goal of the game. The Bobcat defense largely held Lander's attack in check, only allowing a penalty corner but no shots throughout the period. Still looking for more, sophomore Makenna Buffington sent a shot wide of the mark, then Rineer thought she had her second of the day but her effort was cleared off the line, taking things into the halftime break at 2-0. 

Neither side managed to get much going offensively at the start of the third, with LU putting a shot over the bar and Frostburg unable to take advantage of a corner thorugh the first eight minutes. On FSU's second penalty attempt of the frame, junior Taylor Korzcynski shot right at Tworkoski. Getting back on attack, the Bearcats sent a shot in that was parried by Yazzetti right into the path of Shannon MacAngus, who had a tap-in to get them on the board and make things 2-1.

The Bobcats had no intent of letting the goal affect them, as than a minute later, freshman Alayna Enoff would be the first pass on a corner, hitting the ball towards goal and finding the stick of senior Morgan Sparks for her second goal of the season and restore the two-goal advantage. Not to be outdone, Lander surged up the field on a counter, outnumbering the Bobcat defenders and eventually finding Davyn Swindells at the back post to bring the score to 3-2. Searching for a quick equalizer, LU had two more efforts before the end of the frame, but Yazzetti stood tall on both occasions to preserve the lead headed to the fourth.

Pinned back by the Bearcat offense, Frostburg was forced to play defensively through much of the fourth. Off a penalty corner, one effort went just wide of the post before another shot was blocked before reaching Yazzetti. Over the next 10 minutes, the only shot for either side came when LU hit one wide before they ramped up in the final 90 seconds. One shot was deflected, as a penalty corner resulted in back-to-back Yazzetti saves hoping to hold on. On a second corner, Yazzetti had another stop by theball eventually fell to Lily Ardito, who passed to the back post for Sam Van Der Poel to scrape over the line and send the game to overtime at 3-3. 

Searching for a quick winner, Lander tested Yazzetti early but the first year keeper made the save to keep the game going. FSU saw their best opportunity come on a counter, as Buffington ran in behind LU's defense but had Tworkoski out of her goal to shut down the threat. Five minutes into the extra frame, the Bearcats would take advantage of a couple Bobcat mistakes at the back, eventually earning a corner, from which Leira Van Tilburg found Ollie Bond for the 4-3 winner. 

With the result, Lander moves to 1-1 on the season while FSU is now 2-2. Frostburg will be right back at Bobcat Stadium again on Sunday, September 13 when they host their second ranked opponent of the weekend in No. 3 Newberry at 1 PM. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com.