After two regulation periods and two overtime periods, the score between the No. 12 Massachusetts field hockey team and Richmond was still tied at 1-1 on Friday. The teams had to settle the contest with a shootout, the first one for the Minutewomen since a change in format.
Up until this season, if a game wasn’t settled after two overtimes, the teams would settle it with what was known as a stroke-off, where the ball would be set at a point seven yards from the net where the players would simply set up and shoot.
This year, the NCAA switched the format, placing the ball at a point 25 yards away from the net and allowing the players eight seconds to dribble the ball up and put it past the goalkeeper.
In its first shootout under the new format, UMass stepped up and scored on three out of four offensive attempts, while goalkeeper Sam Carlino stopped three out of the Spiders’ four attempts to earn the win.
“It’s still pretty new for a lot of people. I don’t think there’s been that many in the NCAA this year,” senior co-captain Hannah Prince said. “It’s definitely a learning experience for every team that’s had to do one this year, but I think we’ve got some very talented players, like (Charlotte Verelst) and (Alexa Sikalis) both scored theirs, so it was really good to see us be able to execute those.”
After Verelst and Sikalis converted on their attempts, Izzie Delario failed to score on hers. But Prince delivered the winning goal for the Minutewomen on the team’s final attempt, shooting the ball past diving Richmond goalkeeper Anna Zarkoski.
“When it came to my turn, I actually wasn’t sure if mine was going to be the deciding one,” Prince said. “I was just kind of in the moment, not really paying attention to how many had been scored. So I had lost my stick in the shuffle with the goalie and looked up and all my teammates were running at me, so that was awesome, really exciting.”
UMass coach Carla Tagliente spoke highly of Carlino’s performance in net during the shootout as well.
“Sam did really great,” she said. “The shootout, it really suits her. She’s fast, she breaks down her feet well and she moves and she closes space. I thought she did really great.”
Kelly Quinn took the Spiders’ first attempt against Carlino in the shootout. Quinn finished what appeared to be a goal, but the play was called back because the ball bounced off Quinn’s foot before she took the shot.
“I knew it hit her foot, so if the refs didn’t give me that, I probably would’ve freaked out,” Carlino said.
Carlino proceeded to stop Samantha Ostoich’s attempt before allowing a goal to Chelsea Davies. On her final attempt, Carlino shut downLindsay Stevens, setting the stage for Prince’s game winner. The sophomore goalkeeper said she didn’t feeling any added pressure taking on her opponents in a shootout.
“I live for this, so it’s not really any pressure,” Carlino said. “I just go and play.”
Jesse Mayfield-Sheehan can be reached at [email protected] and can be followed on Twitter @jgms88.
