Salve Regina Edges Fitchburg State, 2-1 (PS)

To. Van Ahnen nets second collegiate goal in Falcon setback

FITCHBURG, Mass. (October 14, 2008) - The Fitchburg State field hockey team suffered a tough 2-1 setback in a double overtime shoot-out to non-conference foe Salve Regina University at Elliot Field this evening.

Sophomore Torey Van Ahnen (Seekonk, Mass./Seekonk) led the Fitchburg State attack with one goal scored, while senior Paula Bartalamia (Tewksbury, Mass./Tewksbury) chipped in with one assist.

Junior Toni Pucillo (North Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) scored the lone goal for Salve Regina, while freshman Kirsten Johannesen (Warren, Vt./Harvard Union) added one helper for the Seahawks.

Fitchburg State opened the scoring just 3:48 into the game as Torey Van Ahnen connected to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead. Van Ahnen took a Bartalamia pass and found the back of the net to register her second goal of the season. Salve Regina responded quickly, knotting the score at 1-1 just 2:50 later as Pucillo took a Johannesen feed and tallied her team-leading sixth goal of the season.

In the second half, Fitchburg State posted a 6-3 advantage in shots, but neither team was able to capitalize, sending the game into extra time.

Salve Regina pressured the Fitchburg State defense in the first overtime period with four corner attempts, but sophomore goaltender Taylor Van Ahnen (Seekonk, Mass./Seekonk) tallied one save to keep the Falcons tied at 1-1.

Both teams remained silent in the second overtime period as the contest headed to a five-shot shootout. Fitchburg State struck first with a score by freshman Kaylee Bergeron (Acushnet, Mass./New Bedford), but Salve Regina rallied off three strokes in a row, including the game-winner by sophomore Jillian Stanley (Watertown, Conn./Watertown).    

Fitchburg State out-shot Salve Regina 16-15 in the contest, including a 6-2 advantage in the first overtime period. Taylor Van Ahnen stopped three shots in net for the Falcons, while junior Devin Eppley (Darien, Conn./Darien) totaled seven saves for the Seahawks.

Fitchburg State (7-6, 4-3 LEC) will be in action again on Saturday as it hosts Plymouth State University at 10 a.m. Salve Regina (4-9, 1-4 TCCC) will host WPI on Thursday at 4 p.m.

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Salve Regina 2, Fitchburg State 1 (PS)

Scoring:
First Half: FSC: Torey Van Ahnen (Paula Bartalamia), 3:48 ; SRU: Toni Pucillo (Kirsten Johannesen), 6:38;
Second Half:  none
OT: none
2 OT: none
PS: Jillian Stanley (game-winner)
Goaltending: FSC: Taylor Van Ahnen (90:00), three saves; FSC: Devin Eppley (90:00), seven saves;
Shots On Goal: FSC: 16; SRU: 15