What a difference a year makes. Last year, the field hockey team had no wins until the 17th and final game of the year. This season, the Bears capped their opening weekend with a dramatic 2-1 win over the University of Maine in Orono, Maine on Sunday, winning in a stroke-off after overtime had expired.
"It was really cool for all of us, because it was a big game for us, especially after last season," said Cassie Puhalla '11, who stroked the game-winning shot. "I think everybody just really fought it out and gave it their all. It was really exciting for everyone to see it coming together."
The win was a big step after opening the season with a frustrating 5-2 loss to New Hampshire in Durham two days before. Though the Bears lost, the started out the game with a bang. UNH's Meg Shea struck first at 13:30, but the Bears came roaring back 51 seconds later when Abigail Taft '12 redirected a shot from Sara Eaton '09 past Wildcats goalkeeper Jenna Lehman for the first goal of her collegiate career, validating Brown's new emphasis on offense in practice.
"We're really pumped about trying to have an attacking philosophy going into this fall," Head Coach Tara Harrington '94 said. "Three of our starting forwards (Kit Masini '12, Leslie Springmeyer '12 and Taft) are all first-year students. They're very fast and they're very exciting around the goal mouth. To come back and knock one in right away sends a great message that we're here to fight."
But speed wasn't enough. New Hampshire got a goal back to take a 2-1 lead going into halftime, and then scored three more times for a 5-1 advantage.
"In the second half we let down a little bit and we had a bit of a lull, and UNH really capitalized," Harrington said. "They have extremely fast defenders (who) could come from the backfield into our attacking circle and create a lot of disorganization in our backfield and defensive midfield."
Taft added to her standout performance by beating substitute Wildcats goalie Katherine Nagengast in transition with 1:29 remaining, capping a game in which she took six of Brown's 13 shots.
"She is very fast, and she is just a very dangerous presence in front of the net," Harrington said. "She's got natural speed, but she's just got a natural sense and ability to be in the right place at the right time and get great touches on the ball."
The Bears needed to regroup quickly after Friday's loss before taking on Maine's Black Bears.
"We had a meeting on Sunday morning before the game," Harrington said. "I challenged them to go out there and show themselves and show the world what they're really made of, to show the toughness that we have been working on all off-season and all preseason."
The Bears did not let her down. Just 12 minutes into the game, the defense buckled and Maine's Maire Dineen got a shot past Brown goaltender Lauren Kessler '11, but it would be the only goal Bruno surrendered. The Black Bears cruised to a 36-11 advantage in shots taken but never again found the back of the cage during the game , thanks to tenacious defense and Kessler's 20 saves.
"I think she was maybe four saves shy of the Brown field hockey record for saves in a game," Harrington said. "She did a great job of keeping the ball out of the net. I think Annie LeClerc ('08) and Victoria Sacco ('08), our two fullbacks, did an incredible job of organizing and communicating, and they also did an incredible job of taking turns going on the attack to throw off Maine a little bit by adding some numbers for us upfield."
The Bears continued to battle with the score at 1-0, and with 3:03 remaining, Taft attacked again to tie the game.
"When the ball was kind of lying between the goalkeeper's feet and Abigail just knocked it in - it was just awesome," Harrington said. "It was a great, great feeling for the kids. Playing out the last three minutes, the momentum started to swing our way even more by knocking in that goal. Going into overtime, our kids really had an attitude that they weren't leaving that field without a win."
Brown survived 30 minutes of overtime, a period in which Maine held an 8-2 advantage in shots, to send the game to a stroke-off. Brown defended first, and Kessler stopped Dineen's shot. Laura Iacovetti '12 scored for Brown. .
"She just absolutely stuck her penalty shot," Harrington said. "It was right inside the pipe, and it just made such a great statement. Once Lauren made the first save and Laura made the first penalty stroke, once again you could just feel the momentum going our way."
Kelly Newton of Maine tied the score, but Michaela Seigo '10 stepped up to give Brown a 2-1 advantage. After Maine's Kim McDonald and Tess Standa '08 were both denied, Kessler stopped Stephenie Gardiner's stroke, giving Puhalla a chance to win it. Puhalla said she thought about her teammates before she shot.
"I just kind of thought about every practice and everything that we've worked for, and how hard everybody else had fought that day," she said. "I knew that I could do it if I stayed poised and kept it together."
Puhalla found the back of the cage to give the Bears the win. It's an experience they'd like to carry over into their next game at Villanova on Friday.
"The feeling that everybody shared at the end of the game was so exhilarating and so exciting," Puhalla said. "We want to feel like that all the time. It was a good reminder that everything we work for is worth it."
