On Tuesday, the field hockey team traveled to Tufts University to face a strong Jumbo team. The game, which went to two overtimes, ended when a Tufts penalty shot slid past goalie Caitlin Kelly ’07 to give the Jumbos a 2-1 win.
The game began like many other games have this season, with the Cardinals exerting offensive pressure, dominating the midfield line and playing up-tempo hockey. Key support was provided by midfielders Courtney Tetrault ’07, Liz Dee ’06, and co-captain Megan Gauvey-Kern ’05. Initially, Tufts looked unprepared for the Wesleyan offensive, but with the help of strong midfield and defensive play, the Jumbos were able to counter each Wesleyan attack.
“Tufts number 17 [Lea Napolitano] was very good at intercepting the ball. Next time we will try to avoid her,” Gauvey-Kern said.
In the thirteenth minute, a rare Tufts defensive error allowed Wesleyan to take an early lead. Louisa Mook ’05 took the ball from the midline and worked her way toward the goal. Suddenly, Mook saw an opening and threaded a pass into the top of the striking circle to Amy Rouse ’06. As Rouse caught the ball, the Tufts defense collapsed. In a split second, Rouse turned and shot. As it ricocheted off several sticks, it angled into the corner of the goal. This would be the only goal of the first half.
The second began with a reinvigorated Tufts team eager to equalize the game. As the game dragged on, the relentless nature of the Jumbo offense began to take its toll on the Cardinal defenders. Eleven minutes into the half, Tufts managed to get a shot past Kelly’s outstretched stick, and it dribbled into the goal. Just like that, the game was tied.
With both teams battling for playoff positioning, they immediately picked up the intensity. The rest of the game would prove to be a back and forth battle between two explosive offenses and two stifling defenses.
With eight minutes to play in regulation, co-captain Jenn Wasserman ’05 had a golden opportunity that was expertly blocked by the Tufts goalie. Regulation ended with both sides narrowly missing shots and eager to put the game away in overtime.
But the first extra period ended without a score. Superior defense by each team, and a little luck, kept the game tied at one. As the game moved into the second overtime, it became a test to see which team could overcome severe exhaustion.
Unfortunately, the referees had other ideas. With a little over ten minutes left in the second overtime, the Jumbos’ Dana Panzer slipped past Wesleyan defenders and sprinted for the goal. Kelly ran out in the hopes of cutting down the angle of the shot, but the Tufts player had no intention of shooting. Instead, Panzer collided with Kelly and collapsed seven yards in front of the goal. The referee immediately awarded a penalty shot.
Pandemonium broke loose on the field.
“On the whole it was a very evenly matched game. I think we played well, but it stinks to lose on a bad call,” Wasserman said. “When the game is tied in double-overtime, you only make a call like that if it is blatant.”
Coach Patti Kletcha-Porter, who herself has refereed sports events, immediately contested the call.
Despite the critical importance of the game and the fact that the two teams were playing in sudden death, the referee refused to change the call. After battling through six periods of play, the game was to be decided on a penalty shot.
Panzer walked slowly to the ball spot and with a mighty swing propelled the ball towards the corner of the goal. Kelly dove towards the ball and tipped it, but the momentum of the shot was too great and the ball bounced across the line.
After the game, the team found it difficult to find the words that could describe such a heart wrenching loss.
“I don’t think we didn’t go out and fight and try, but it was how we lost that hurt the most. I don’t ever want to feel like I did on the bus coming home from Tufts,” Gauvey-Kern said.
The co-captain was unwilling to place all the blame on the referees.
“We had trouble finding our teammate’s sticks on passes, and we also didn’t capitalize on a number of passes,” she said.
Still, it was obvious that what gnawed at both captains was the questionable penalty shot that gave Tufts the win. While they sounded dejected at the loss, each of the girls stressed putting the game behind them so that they could focus on another tough opponent, Bowdoin, before heading into the conference tournament. The Cardinals will play the Polar Bears on Saturday at 11 a.m.
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