TROY, N.Y. - Senior
Charisse Stakutis had two goals and an assist, but it was not enough as Utica College scored with 40 seconds left in regulation and 19 seconds into overtime to defeat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 4-3 in a non-league field hockey game at Harkness Field.
Rensselaer took a 3-2 lead on three third quarter goals and held off the Pioneers until junior Sydney Scaccia took a pass from senior Ricki Haab while cutting toward the cage through traffic and scored along the turf into the far side of the cage. Utica possessed the ball to begin overtime and immediately gained the circle, where senior Josie Sgarlata tallied from the middle for the victory. The goal was her second of the game and third of the season.
The Pioneers took an early lead when Sgarlata converted a penalty corner at 10:46 of the first quarter. Haab inserted the ball to Sabrina Whitehouse at the top of the circle and Whitehouse passed it off to her left, where Sgarlata scored from long range. Utica doubled its advantage at 14:29 when Haab converted a penalty stroke into the upper left corner. The stroke came after the ball was stopped illegally by a defender following a pair of saves from RPI's
Jen Richardson.
Utica held a 10-7 edge in shots in the first half, which saw both teams register four penalty corners.
Rensselaer gained the lead with three third quarter goals, the first two from Stakutis. RPI pulled to within 2-1 just 1:34 into the frame when its captain tallied off her own rebound. Stakutis's initial shot from in tight was stopped by goalkeeper Megan Chamberlain, but Stakutis got off a reverse hit that sailed into the far corner. Stakutis tied the game four minutes later when she again picked up a rebound, this one off a defensive save, and slid the ball into the cage. The play started with an Engineers' penalty corner that led to a
Morgan Lee drive from the top of the circle.
Lee, a freshman, put RPI ahead when she tapped in a cross crease feed from Stakutis at 42:53.
Olivia Jackson fed the ball into the circle to Stakutis, who drew the goalie and a defender before dishing the ball to Lee, who tallied for the first time in her career.
Richardson finished with 11 saves for the Engineers, who had nine shots after halftime. Chamberlain made six stops, while Makenzie Stevens had a defensive save.
RPI (0-11) returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Union College in a Liberty League contests (12pm). The Pioneers (4-7) host Nazareth College in an Empire 8 game on Saturday at 4:30pm.
