Kuszmaul Nets Game Winner in OT for Eagles Over Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, VA.- The day after winning a crucial Landmark Conference game against Scranton, the Juniata field hockey team traveled to Virginia to play Bridgewater College. The Eagles played to a second overtime and were able to come out with a win 2-1.

The Eagles came out firing early on in the first half as they registered two shots in just over 10 minutes of play. Just as it happened against the Royals, Lindsay Scholten (Apex, N.C./Brookfield (Conn.) took a penalty stroke and it was turned away by Bridgewater goalie Ali Bishop. BC was granted a penalty corner at 20:08 and 40 seconds later, Emily Matisons assisted Elizabeth Washington on the goal as Bridgewater took a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, JC scored to tie the game at 1-all. Grace Kuszmaul (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) took a penalty corner at 49:38 and 28 seconds later, Rebecca Waite (Landinburg, Pa./ Avon Grove) found Brittani LaFollette (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) for the score as Juniata tied the contest up at 1-1.

The game went to overtime where Bridgewater held a 5-1 edge in shots and a 4-2 advantage In corners but Juniata was able to withstand the BC threat. Goalie Kylie Edwards (Danville, Pa./Danville) came up with three big saves as the two teams went to a second overtime period.

In the second OT, both teams got a shot off that were turned away. Juniata was able to get the one that counted as Meredith Shephard (Cazenovia, N.Y./Cazenovia) passed to Kuszmaul who finished a shot past Bishop and in to give Juniata the victory.

Bridgewater had the edge in shots 14-13 and in corners 8-7. Edwards finished with eight saves in the cage while Bishop has nine saves.

Juniata returns to Knox Stadium on Wednesday as it hosts Frostburg Statte in a non-conference game. Start time is at 7:00 p.m.