BABSON PARK, Mass. - September 22, 2007 - First-year Sarah Fredlund scored her second goal of the game with 3:40 left in the first overtime period to lead the Babson College field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over nationally-ranked Springfield College in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest at MacDowell Field on Saturday afternoon.

Babson, which began the year with four straight losses, has now won three of its last four to improve to 3-5 overall (1-0 NEWMAC), while Springfield, ranked 16th in the country in the most recent NFHCA poll, lost for just the second time this fall to drop to 6-2 overall (0-1 NEWMAC).

Springfield dominated the first few minutes of play, scoring the game's first goal on its opening rush just 1:20 into the contest. Senior Brittany Veazie (Dexter, Me.) backhanded a cross from the left side to a waiting Jane Kelleher (Chatham, Mass.), who one-timed a shot past Babson sophomore goalie Emily Cohen to give the Pride a 1-0 advantage.

Babson answered at the 39-minute mark, when senior Mikayla Shea hit a beautiful lead pass up the middle of the field to a streaking Fredlund. The Beavers' first-year then made a move on charging goalie Julia Kincade (Durham, N.H.) and found the back of the cage, tying the score at 1-1.

Both goalies made spectacular saves down the stretch to keep the game even, including a fantastic lunging block by Kincade on a high shot by sophomore Jess Paladino with 26:17 left in regulation. Cohen then made a tremendous game-saving kick save on a direct shot by senior Eileen Jenkins (Gorham, Me.) off a penalty corner after time had expired.

Both teams had great chances in overtime, with Springfield's best opportunity coming on a wide open breakaway on which Cohen came out of net to break up the connecting pass. The Pride also had four corners and six shots in the extra session, but Cohen made three great saves to keep the game going. Babson then capitalized with 3:40 remaining, when Paladino broke in on Kincade and fired a shot from near point-blank range. Kincade denied the first attempt with an outstanding save, but Fredlund was there to tap in the rebound for her second goal of the day, giving Babson the thrilling 2-1 victory.

Cohen was brilliant in net for Babson, finishing with six saves in the finest performance of her collegiate career. Kincade also played well in goal for Springfield, totalling five stops of her own. The Pride enjoyed a 16-12 shot advantage in the contest, but the Babson defense was flawless in the final 79 minutes, including a pivotal six-minute stretch at the end of regulation in which a yellow card forced the Beavers to play one player down.

Springfield returns to action on Sept. 26 with the first game of a four-game homestand against Williams at 7:00 p.m.

published: 09/22/2007