Field Hockey Rallies for Overtime Victory over R-MC

ASHLAND, Va. -- Senior Taylor Marshall scored less than two minutes into overtime on Wednesday night to carry the Virginia Wesleyan College field hockey team to a 3-2 victory over Randolph-Macon in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) action.

This is the second straight season that the Marlins defeated Randolph-Macon in overtime, as Virginia Wesleyan downed the Yellow Jackets 3-2 in a double overtime match in Virginia Beach.

The Yellow Jackets started the scoring with a first half goal by Kaitee Nicholas off a Skyler Seligman penalty corner.

That one goal lead carried the hosts into the second half where Sara Sprinkel found Victoria Cappadora who finished off the pass in front of the cage for a 2-0 lead at 48:44.

Ten minutes later Virginia Wesleyan began to chip away at the lead. Trailing by two goals in under 12 minutes left in regulation, the Marlins amped up the pressure on the Yellow Jacket defense. Kennedi Jones ripped a shot at 58:40 that was saved, but the loose ball found Elizabeth Roberto, who finished it off for the score.

Seven minutes after the Roberto goal, Morgan Lee found Taylor Marshall to even the contest with just under five minutes until the regulation whistle.

The Marlin momentum carried over into the overtime period as Roberto was awarded a penalty corner just 1:16 into the period.  Macon never managed to successfully clear the ball, allowing Marshall to finish off her second score of the game to win the contest.

Kelsey Stanley made nine saves for Randolph-Macon (1-10/0-5) while Skye Swain posted five saves for Virginia Wesleyan.

The Marlins outshot the Yellow Jackets 16-13 with a 7-6 edge in penalty corners.

Virginia Wesleyan (4-7/2-2) travels to Eastern Mennonite University Saturday for a 1 p.m. start.