Nov. 9, 2002
Box Score | MAC Women's Field Hockey Tournament Page
OXFORD, Ohio - In a Mid-American Conference Field Hockey Tournament that has had no shortage of excitement, No. 3 Kent State defeated No. 2 Central Michigan 3-2 in the tourney's third double-overtime contest. MAC Freshman of the Year Tess Meuleman ended an afternoon of 189:04 of field hockey with the game-winning goal, her 17th goal of the season, at 6:35 in the second overtime.
The Golden Flashes dominated the first 35 minutes of the semifinal contest outshooting CMU 5-1 and outcornering the Chippewas 3-0. Senior Helen Jerdan, who earned MAC co-Player of the Year honors, dribbled in on a penalty corner at 33:56 in the first period to net the first goal of the game. Narrowly missing the save in goal for the Chippewas was senior Janel Spero, who also earned co-Player of the Year kudos.
Senior Fiona Brew added to Kent State's lead at 5:31 in the second half when she netted an unassisted goal. The goal was Brew's fifth of the season.
The Chippewas, however, poured on the offense by recording nine penalty corners in the second half. They chipped away at Kent State's advantage with their first goal of the game at 27:06 when sophomore Kristy Reed deflected senior Maria Neiswander's direct hit over the pads of Kent State goalie, junior Jessica Creeden, a second-team all-MAC selection.
Still facing a 2-1 deficit, the Chippewas knotted the game at 2-2 when senior Jocelyn Gates, another second-team member, scored an identical goal to Reed's at 32:31. Credited with her second assist of the game after hitting the direct hit in Gates' direction was Neiswander.
As the two teams prepared for seven-on-seven action in overtime, Kent State kept the Chippewas on their heels with three penalty corners. Spero, however, came up big for CMU by saving two of Kent State's best scoring chances.
The momentum began to shift in Central Michigan's favor in the second overtime as Kent State couldn't figure out how to score against Spero. The Chippewas had their best chance at ending the game when one of their forwards had a one-on-one with Creeden. Creeden came out about 10 yards from the goal and made a beautiful save to keep Kent State's chances alive.
Creeden's stop turned out to be the turning point as the ensuing Kent State possession resulted in their 12th corner of the contest. Jerdan struck the direct hit and Meuleman did the rest by deflecting the shot into the corner of the goal to give Kent State the 3-2 win at 6:35 in the second overtime.
Kent State (15-6) moves on to the championship game against Ohio tomorrow at 1 p.m. MAC Coach of the Year Cristy Freese and Central Michigan (14-7) head home as the top-two seeds in the tournament have now been defeated.
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