Farland Lifts Field Hockey to 4-3 Comeback Win over Wheaton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Junior midfielder Shelby Farland's (Fiskdale, Mass.) penalty stroke goal in overtime capped off a dramatic comeback as the fourth seeded Bridgewater State University field hockey team defeated #5 seed Wheaton College, 4-3, in opening round action of the 2011 ECAC Division III New England Tournament on Wednesday night at Swenson Field.

The victory sends Bridgewater (13-6) to the semifinal round as the Bears will travel to top-seeded Plymouth State University on Saturday to take on the Panthers at 11:00 AM.  Wheaton ends the 2011 season with an overall record of 10-9.

Bridgewater erased a 3-1 second half deficit with Farland scoring the game-winner off a penalty stroke 8:47 into the overtime period after senior teammate Breanna Clement (Pittsfield, Mass.) was tripped up by the Wheaton netminder on a breakaway opportunity. 

Wheaton junior defender Gillian Mann (Burlington, Vt.) opened the scoring in the 11th minute as she knocked home a short pass from sophomore midfielder Emily Chick (Bangor, Maine). 

Farland tied the game up in the 30th minute off a feed from Clement as she chipped a shot past the Wheaton goaltender.  The two teams would head to the intermission with the score deadlocked at 1-1.

Wheaton seemed to take control of the game midway through the second half as senior forwards Emily Asack (Stoughton, Mass.) and Aliza Underhill (Corinth, Maine) scored back-to-back goals over a seven minute stretch to give the visitors a 3-1 advantage.  Sophomore defender Eliza Kennedy (Madison, Conn.) set up the Asack goal while Underhill converted off a penalty corner with Chick picking up her second helper of the night.

Bridgewater head coach, Erika Smith, called a timeout immediately after the Lyons took the two goal lead, and her team responded.  Clement jumpstarted the comeback in the 61st minute as she scored off a rebound of Farland shot to cut the deficit to 3-2.  Just 3:25 later, it was Clement again as she redirected a long shot from junior midfielder Megan Cullinane (Lunenburg, Mass.) that came from outside the circle to tie the game up at three apiece.

Farland and Clement each finished with two goals and an assist in the game.

Wheaton had the best two opportunities at the end of regulation as Asack had a shot that was blocked and sophomore forward Jenna Rocha's (Rehoboth, Mass.) scoring bid was turned away by BSU junior goaltender Cassie Johansen (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) in the 67th minute.  Johansen turned aside six shots in the contest to record her 13th win of the season.  

Bridgewater held the edge in play in overtime, outshooting the Lyons, 6-1, in the extra session.

Sophomore Ellie Massengill (Amherst, Mass.) made six saves between the pipes for Wheaton including three in overtime.  The Lyons also received an overtime defensive save from senior defender Bonnie Davies (Roxbury, Conn.). 

Shots were even at 14 apiece for the game, while Bridgewater held a slight 7-6 edge in penalty corners.

Notes: Bridgewater and Plymouth will be meeting in the ECAC Division III New England Tournament for the second straight season as the Panthers edged the Bears in the championship game a year ago, 2-1.