WALTHAM, Mass.—Bellarmine's
Merit Harris drilled a penalty stroke with just 2.7 seconds remaining to lift the Knights to a dramatic 3-2 comeback road victory over the Bentley Falcons.
The Knights had taken an early lead when
Teresa Schmidt converted on a penalty corner about midway through the first quarter. Neither team found the cage for the remainder of the half, and Bellarmine settled for a 1-0 halftime lead.
However, the host Falcons came back with a pair of goals in the third quarter to take a 2-1 advantage. Bellarmine battled back and tied the game when the Knights were awarded a penalty stroke as they were attacking the cage.
Jillian Fazio went high in playing the penalty stroke and she beat Falcon goalie Tatiana Naclerio with a shot into the upper left portion of the goal.
After surviving playing two players down due to a green card and a yellow card, the Knights had time for one last push inside the final minute.
Mandi Isom dribbled inside the circle, and as the Knights approached the cage, Bentley was called for the penalty and Bellarmine got its second penalty stroke of the game. This time, Harris went low and got it past Naclerio for the victory.
The score and statistics reflect an evenly played game with Bellarmine owning an 11-7 advantage in penalty corner and Bentley outshooting Bellarmine 10-7.
Bellarmine goalies
Heather Gregory and
Breanna McWhorter combined for six saves while Bentley's Naclerio didn't make a save in her 30 minutes of action and starting goalie Kayleigh Vogel made two. McWhorter worked the final 15 minutes in cage to pick up the victory for the Knights.
The win was Bellarmine's sixth in a row and moved the Knights to 7-2 on the season. Bentley falls to 4-8.
While the victory was sweet, Bellarmine has little time to celebrate as tomorrow brings a stiff challenge. The Knights travel to St. Anselm to take on the No. 4 Hawks in a 1 p.m. contest.
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BOX SCORE (HTM)