BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University field hockey rounded out regular season play with a 3-2 overtime loss to American on a snowy Sunday afternoon at Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field. The Mountaineers honored their four seniors,
Taylor Cimbalist,
Rebecca McLean,
Maddie Phillips and
Savanna Sheridan, prior to the game.
American jumped out to an early lead with a goal by Rafaela Rubas just under four minutes into the game. App State sophomore
Melissa Nobile responded two minutes later with a goal to even up the game at one goal apiece. Cimbalist picked up her eighth assist of the season on the play. Even though American had eight shots and App State had seven, neither team was able to score for the remainder of the first half.
The Eagles came out firing to open the second half, putting up five shots in the first fifteen minutes, but Appalachian goalkeeper
Rachel Gaines deflected them away to keep the score at 1-1.
App State would take the lead in the 61st minute following a penalty corner inserted by Cimbalist. McLean received the insertion and delivered a pass towards the net that sophomore
Michelle Taylor deflected in for her first-career goal.
American tied up the game just five minutes later when Rubas scored her second goal of the game. The score would remain 2-2 at the end of regulation, forcing an overtime period.
In overtime, the Mountaineers received six penalty corners, but were unable to score each time. At the 84:56 mark, American received its only penalty corner of overtime and scored to win the game, 3-2.
The App State defense faced 25 American shots, 19 on goal, as Gaines made 16 saves. The Mountaineers had 17 shots, nine on goal, and held the advantage in penalty corners, 10-9.
The Mountaineers finish the regular season with an 8-10 overall record and a 3-3 mark in Mid-American Conference, good for a fourth place finish in the conference standings.Â
