The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- November 23, 1998

Middlebury works overtime to take field hockey championship

An overtime goal by Kully Hagerman gave Middlebury its first Division III Field Hockey Championship November 15 over host and defending champion William Smith, 3-2.

Hagerman slammed the game-winning goal home with 2:21 remaining in the overtime period, restoring the control that the Panthers had demonstrated early in the game.

"They were dominating our overtime game," Missy Foote, Middlebury head coach, said. "So we were very happy when we got a corner and we were able to score on it. Of course, no one knew if it was a goal, because there was such a long pause where everyone was still waiting to see if it was a goal."

The Panthers dominated the first half, leading 2-0 and outshooting the Herons, 12-1. Middlebury looked to be cruising to its first championship title before William Smith came alive after the half.

"I told them we did not get to this point in our season by being a mediocre team," said Sally Scatton, William Smith coach. "We were champions, we had never not scored, and we had not been shut out all season long.

"My expectations of them were that they had nothing to lose. Middlebury was over there feeling as if they had the game already won. They had outplayed us and basically gave a field hockey clinic to us. It injured our pride, and that is not what we're about."

The Herons were not injured or given a clinic in the second half. Ami Ford capitalized for William Smith on a scramble in front of the cage 1:04 into the second period and managed the game-tying score with 17:05 remaining in the game on a goal by Jackie Hall.

William Smith had opportunities late in the game but couldn't clinch the title.

"It certainly was a game of two halves," Scatton said. "I thought we had the better of play in the second half. I thought the momentum really shifted, and I thought that any moment we were going to get the go-ahead goal in the last 10 minutes. I was very confident that we were going to put the ball away in overtime. We controlled nine of the 11 minutes in overtime. That's unfortunately the nature of field hockey. You can control the tempo of the game and not win."

Middlebury captured the title in only its third tournament appearance and first trip to the finals.

The Panthers advanced to the championship with a 4-1 victory over Trinity (Texas). Heidi Howard led Middlebury with three goals and one assist.

Hall helped return William Smith to the final with the lone second-half goal in its 2-1 semifinal win over Rowan.

CHAMPIONSHIP SUMMARY

Regionals: At Messiah (Pa.) -- Hartwick 1, Eastern Mennonite (Va.) 0; Trinity (Conn.) 4, Messiah 0; Trinity (Conn.) 2, Hartwick 0.

At Middlebury -- Middlebury 2, Skidmore 5; Col. of New Jersey 2; Keene St. 0; Middleburg 3, Col. of New Jersey 2.

At William Smith -- William Smith 5, Wittenberg 1; Lebanon Valley 1, Salisbury St. 0; William Smith 2, Lebanon Valley 0.

At Rowan -- Rowan 1, Tufts 0; Gettysburg 3, Ithaca 0; Gettysburg 3, Rowan 2.

SEMIFINALS

William Smith -- 1 -- 1 -- 2

Rowan -- 1 -- 0 -- 1

First half: R -- Sharon Cheeseman, (unassisted) 23:04; WS -- Ami Woodland (Nicky Livingston), 22:07.

Second half: WS -- Jackie Hall (Sage Lansing), 17:24.

Shots: William Smith 5, Rowan 13. Goalkeeper saves: William Smith (Becca Arminger) 13, Rowan (Erin Grelle) 5. Penalty Corners: William Smith 8, Rowan 14.

Middlebury -- 2 -- 2 -- 4

Trinity (Conn.) -- 1 -- 0 -- 1

First half: M -- Nina Johnson (Heidi Howard), 28:41; M -- Heidi Howard (Nina Johnson), 8:00 T -- Whitney Scarlett (Katie Leonard) 6:23.

Second half: M -- Heidi Howard (unassisted), 6:51; M -- Heidi Howard (unassisted), 5:59.

Shots: Middlebury 8, Trinity (Conn.) 3. Goalkeeper saves: Middlebury (Laura Parmelee) 7, Trinity (Conn.) (Jess Martin) 4. Penalty Corners: Middlebury 9, Trinity (Conn.) 6.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Middlebury -- 2 -- 0 -- 1 -- 3

William Smith -- 0 -- 2 -- 0 -- 2

First half: M -- Nina Johnson, (unassisted) 21:15; M -- Sarah Meall (Heidi Dripps), 5:04.

Second half: WS -- Ami Ford (unassisted), 33:56; WS -- Jackie Hall (Lauren VonBereghy), 17:05.

Overtime: M -- Kully Hagerman (unassisted), 2:21.

Shots: Middlebury 19, William Smith 11. Goalkeeper saves: Middlebury (Laura Parmelee) 10, William Smith (Becca Arminger) 16. Penalty Corners: Middlebury 12, William Smith.