October 06, 2010

ANDRUSIN NETS DOUBLE-OVERTIME GAME WINNER TO LEAD BULLDOGS TO 2-1 VICTORY IN 2010 HOME OPENER

Post Game Interview

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Katherine Andrusin (North Andover, Mass.) followed up her own shot just 41 seconds into double overtime Wednesday night to put home the game-winning goal and lead the Bryant University field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over Holy Cross at the Bryant Turf Complex, the Bulldogs' 2010 home opener despite being 12 games into the season.

The win marked the first back-to-back victories for the Bulldogs (3-9), who got on the board early with an unassisted Elise Boissoneau (Ashburnham, Mass.) scorejust 6:51 into the contest.

Bryant held onto the one-goal edge until late in the second half, when Holy Cross (0-11) went for broke with 6:25 left on the clock, pulling its goalie in favor of an extra field player and an empty net.

The gamble paid off in the short run, as Crusaders forward Kara Gonnerman received a feed from Jamie Caniglia off a penalty corner and took a direct shot on Bryant goalie Jennifer Gullotti (Waltham, Mass.), finding real estate beyond the defense and knotting the game at 1-1 with 1:25 left to play in regulation.

With both goalies back in place, the teams battled for the remaining 85 seconds to no resolution, forcing the first of two overtime periods.

In the first 15-minute frame, the teams played back-and-forth ball, Bryant firing three shots to Holy Cross's one. But in the second extra session, the Bulldogs would leave nothing to chance, sprinting out of the gates to create one of the best opportunities of the night.

Andrusin fired a shot at the 85:22 mark, forcing Crusaders goalie Kelly Sotsky to lay out for the save and give up a rebound. The junior followed her shot and got one more chance, this time making it count for her first tally of the season and, more importantly, the night's game-winning goal.

Andrusin registered three of the Bulldogs' 17 shots on the contest, all three going on goal, while Boissoneau led the game with four shots on net. Gonnerman paced the Crusaders with a trio of shots on the night (two on goal), while the visitors were outshot, 17-8, in over 85 minutes of action. Holy Cross's Alanna Sikorski collected the only defensive save of the game, coming early in the first half.

Gullotti made three saves between the pipes to hold on for the win, while Sotsky made seven for the visiting Crusaders in the loss. Holy Cross registered eight saves on the night.

Bryant returns to action Sunday afternoon for the second contest of a four-game homestand and will open Northeast Conference play with a 12 p.m. bout against Siena at the Bryant Turf Complex.