ASTON, Pa. --- Junior midfielder Catherine Duffin scored her second goal of the match in the 76th minute to cap a three-goal rally and lift the Moravian College field hockey team to a 5-4 non-conference win at Neumann University Wednesday afternoon.
The win is the fifth straight for the Greyhounds, the first time since the 1992 season when the squad started 8-0 that the Moravian program registered five consecutive victories. The Greyhounds are now 8-3 on the year for the first time since 1996. Moravian has also won two straight overtime matches, and is 2-1 in overtime this season. The Greyhounds have had nine of 11 games decided by a goal, posting a 6-3 record in those games.
"We really showed what kind of team we are today," stated Head Coach Amy Endler. "The players really dug deep and refused to lose. The intensity in the last 10 minutes was incredible. Everyone stepped up at different moments. I'm so very proud of our effort. Now we must continue this momentum into Saturday."
The Greyhounds last victory when trailing by two goals was on October 31, 2008, when the team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, 4-2.
Moravian didn't need long to jump out to an early lead just 2:45 into the match. Sophomore forward Kelly O'Donnell scored her third goal of the season when she put in a pass from junior forward Cayley Wise on a penalty corner started by senior midfielder Chelsea Grotyohann.
The Knights needed just 2:09 to tie the game on their first shot of the game.
The Greyhounds pulled back in front in the 25th minute when Duffin netted her first goal of the match and fourth of the year as she put in a pass from O'Donnell on another penalty corner started by Grotyohann.
Neumann tied the contest again in the 30th minute when Alexa McIntyre scored on a penalty stroke, and the Knights would move in front before the intermission when Jess Harrell scored in the 34th minute.
Neumann locked like it may have put the game away in the 56th minute on a goal by Jordan Hopkins to give the Knights a 4-2 lead.
However, Moravian needed just 5:15 to tie the game and force overtime. Grotyohann pulled the Greyhounds within a goal in the 59th minute when she scored her sixth goal of the year on a penalty stroke. Just 1:28 later, junior forward Taylor Holly netted her third tally of the year off of a pass from Duffin.
"With a slow start in the first half, I knew we had to pick the intensity up together as a team," Duffin said. "We fought hard and were determined to win. In overtime, the only thing that ran through our heads was to "score" and we did just that. We won as a team and it has never felt better."
The Greyhounds tried to end the game in final 5:37 of regulation with six shots on goal on three penalty corners including shots by Duffin and sophomore midfielder Rebecca Hamel putting shots on goal after the final horn sounded on a penalty corner.
The Knights had the first shot in overtime to win it but Moravian senior goalie Andrea Eck made her seventh save of the match. The Greyhounds also registered three defensive saves in the contest with junior defender Emily Marley making two and senior defender Erin Gilbert had one. Neumann goalie Lindsey Kasecamp had 16 saves as Moravian had a 25-18 advantage in shots. The Greyhounds also had a 13-10 edge in penalty corner.
On Duffin's winning goal, Grotyohann started the penalty corner nine seconds before the winning goal.
Moravian will return to action on Saturday, October 5 when the squad hosts nationally-ranked The Catholic University of America in a Landmark Conference match at Betty Prince Field starting at 1:00 p.m.
