Tarek Fattal
Contributing Writer
The Springfield College Women’s Field Hockey team lost at home in a 4-3 barn-burner Wednesday night to non-conference opponent, Connecticut College. With just 37 seconds left to play –freshman midfielder — Heidi Halsted of Connecticut College sealed the emotional comeback by scoring the game-winning goal.
“Our team is really good at corners, and I knew this would be our chance to win the game,” said Halsted. “I knew where Britt[any Fitzgerald] was going to hit it, so I put myself in a position to make a play on the ball, and I scored.”
No one would have guessed that the game would have ended up being so emotional. Springfield took a quick 2-0 lead just 12 minutes into the game.
Both goals came in quick succession — just two minutes apart — with one coming from sophomore Tina DeGirolamo at the 25 minute mark and the other from freshman Katie Gill at the 23 minute mark. However, Conn College did cut the lead in half with a goal from Fitzgerald just before halftime.
Springfield coach Melissa Sharpe would have felt much more confident going into the half with a 2-0 lead.
“I think the team may have gotten a little complacent with our quick 2-0 lead. When Connecticut grabbed that one goal before half-time I think that gave them a lot of momentum and it carried them throughout their comeback,” said Sharpe. “We need to work on finishing games better. It’s unfortunate they scored with under a minute left, but sometimes that’s the way it goes.”
Much of the second half was a stalemate, tied at 3-3 for the last ten minutes of the match until Halsted put in the game winner to seal the victory for Connecticut College.
Springfield dropped to 2-2 on the season and will play their NEWMAC home opener on Friday Sept. 14 at 6:30 pm against Clark University.