Senior Ends Game by Converting Final Stroke of Series

LANCASTER, PA -- Senior attack Kelsey Kemp (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) converted the final stroke of the game-deciding stroke series to lift visiting Washington College past host Franklin & Marshall College, 2-1, in a Centennial Conference field hockey game tonight in Lancaster, PA. The Shorewomen improved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in conference play with the win, while the Diplomats fell to 5-2 and 1-1 with the loss.

The Diplomats took a 1-0 lead when Eileen O'Reilly scored on a give-and-go off an assist from Allison McLaren with 16:33 remaining in the first half.

Washington tied things up when junior defender Sara Rutkowski (Wernersville, PA/Conrad Weiser) assisted on a goal by freshman midfielder Kristen Wille (Stevensville, MD/Kent Island) from eight meters out.

The score remained tied through the rest of regulation and two 15-minute overtime periods. Washington freshman defender Jess Magdeburger (Baltimore, MD/Friends School) got a shot on goal off with five seconds to go in the second overtime, but F&M goalkeeper Naomi Stone made the save.

In strokes, Maura Hennigan converted her attempt for the Diplomats, but junior attack Danielle Rosato (Narvon, PA/Pequea Valley) did the same for the Shorewomen to tie strokes at 1-1 each. Neither team's second stroke shooters converted, but Paulette Cutruzzula made her attempt to give F&M a 2-1 strokes lead. Three shooters later, Magdeburger evened the stroke tally at two a piece headed into each team's final turn in the series. The Diplomats' Nora Kinney came up empty on her attempt, setting up Kemp's dramatic game-winner.

Senior goalkeeper Elena Nicholoff (Tunkhannock, PA/Lackawanna Trail) made 11 saves in the game for the Shorewomen, with five of them coming in the first overtime. Stone made five saves in the loss for the Diplomats.

F&M held a 20-16 advantage in shots and a 12-10 edge in penalty corners in the game.

Tonight's game marked the second time in as many seasons that the Shorewomen have won a game via Kemp making the final stroke of a series. She fired in the deciding stroke in the final attempt of the second series of a 3-2 win at St. Mary's on September 24th, 2008.

The Shorewomen return to action Sunday with a 2:00 p.m. home game against Mary Washington.