The Keuka College Field Hockey team tied the game late in the fourth quarter to force overtime against SUNY Morrisville. However, the Mustangs would defeat the Wolves in the extra period 4-3 on Tuesday afternoon.
Tori Nelson (Vernon Center, N.Y. / Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) had a big game for Keuka College (1-9, 1-3 Empire 8). Nelson assisted on two goals and then scored on a penalty stroke to tie the game. Kirstin Billings (Hilton, N.Y. / Hilton) and Anna Dewey (Sidney, N.Y. / Sidney) also scored and Jordan Nichols (Deposit, N.Y. / Afton) recorded 14 saves for the Wolves.
The Wolves opened the game on Tuesday with sustained pressure against the Mustangs. Keuka College got multiple corners in the opening minutes but was unable to generate any shots off of the chances. The play flipped to the Keuka end and Morrisville converted on their opportunity to make it 1-0. The Mustangs led after the first quarter.
Keuka College had a great chance early in the second quarter as Kirstin Billings raced down the field. She got the ball to Alexis Dodge (Verona, N.Y. / Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) on the back post, but the effort was saved. Morrisville again flipped the field against the Wolves. Their pressure resulted in a penalty stroke and the Mustangs capitalized to make it 2-0. Morrisville took that lead into halftime.
Keuka wasted no time to get on the board in the second half. Tori Nelson controlled the ball in the midfield. She passed it forward to send Kirstin Billings on a breakaway. The senior ran down on goal and scored to cut the lead to 2-1. Morrisville responded with a goal midway through the quarter to regain their two-goal advantage.
In the fourth, the Wolves opened with pressure again and cut back into the Mustang lead. Tori Nelson was again in the middle of it for Keuka. The junior had the ball in the middle of the arc and hit a backhand pass to the left wing and Anna Dewey swept it into the goal to make it 3-2. The lead held until the final minutes. Billings once again showcased her speed splitting through the Morrisville defense. She was fouled resulting in a penalty stroke. Tori Nelson converted the stroke with 3:31 left in regulation to tie the game. Both teams had pressure late but were unable to score as the game went to overtime.
The Mustangs applied the pressure early in the overtime. Morrisville thought they had the winner, but it was called for being outside of the circle. However, minutes later they got a corner and took advantage. The ball ended up on the wing and a quick shot snuck in on the short side as SUNY Morrisville defeated Keuka College in overtime.
KC Notes:
- The overtime loss snapped Keuka’s four-game winning streak over SUNY Morrisville. The all-time series between the two schools is now tied 4-4
- It was Keuka College’s first overtime game since October 2022. The Wolves are 5-5 in games that go to overtime
- The game-tying goal by Nelson was her sixth penalty stroke goal of her career, extending her program record
- The two assists earlier in the game broke a tie and gave Tori Nelson sole possession of second on the career assists list
- Jordan Nichols surpassed 100 saves on the season
- The Wolves had the advantage in corners 13-5 but the Mustangs held the edge in shots 21-7
Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves return to the field on Thursday as they travel to Buffalo to face D’Youville University. The Saints are in their first year as a program and compete in NCAA Division II.
