WEST CHESTER EDGES SJU IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE 2-1 IN OT
PHILADELPHIA (10/28/01) - West Chester scored with just 5:54 remaining in the first overtime period to defeat Saint Joseph's, 2-1, in the regular season finale for both teams. With the loss, SJU squared its record at 9-9, 3-3 in the Atlantic 10, while WCU improved to 10-6, 5-1 in the A-10. The two teams will square off again next Saturday, November 3, in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament semifinals at Temple.
After playing over 55 minutes of relatively uneventful field hockey action, SJU seized a 1-0 lead with 13:45 to play in the game. Junior Kelly Butler, who tallied a pair of goals against La Salle on Saturday, scored on a penalty stroke to give SJU a 1-0 lead.
West Chester, however, answered the challenge just over a minute later to knot the contest at 1-1. Junior Jess DeLong knocked home a pass from junior Stacey Tomes from in front of the Hawk cage.
With the game tied, the two teams stepped up the pressure in an attempt to win the game in regulation. Both goaltenders, though, answered the call. Senior Lauren Bradley made four saves in the second half for SJU, while her counterpart WCU's Joelle Maguire turned aside six shots. Bradley finished the game with 10 saves, while Maguire registered 7.
The gamewinner was scored by Tomes, who received the ball on the rightside of the field and carried it across the middle of the field, slipping a shot under Bradley with 5:54 left in the first overtime.
Prior to the game, the Hawks celebrated senior day by saluting its senior captains Bradley and Katie Helder.
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