Bevens' stroke in double-OT sends St. Anselm to championship match
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – It should come as no surprise that the two teams that led all NCAA Division II teams in shutouts during the regular season went to double overtime in a scoreless draw during Friday night’s NCAA Division II Semifinals.
Saint Anselm, which led all of Division II with 19 shutouts in 21 games, squared off with East Stroudsburg, which was second among all Division II teams with 15 shutouts in 21 games.
In the end, it was Saint Anselm’s Emily Bevens who recorded the game winner with 8:51 remaining in the second overtime period to send the Hawks to the national title game. Bevens, a junior midfielder, scored on a penalty stroke. Saint Anselm will square off with West Chester on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 1 p.m., in the championship match at Millersville University.
Bevens was an unlikely hero for the match. The junior didn’t play at all in the second half or first overtime period, yet was called on to take the penalty stroke.
“You never expect you’ll be the one shooting for the game winning goal in double overtime for a spot in the national championship,” she said.
The moments leading to the penalty stroke nearly ended the game. The Hawks, taking a penalty corner, fired off a sequence of three consecutive shots that were either saved by East Stroudsburg goalkeeper Maddie Richie or blocked by ESU defenders. The loose ball continued to bounce around until the Warriors were called for a penalty.
Saint Anselm, 0-for-5 in the regular season on penalty strokes, now needed to convert to advance to the national title game.
“We were practicing strokes this week and [Bevens] was so consistent; she was scoring at 100 percent,” Saint Anselm head coach Carolyn King-Robitaille said. “I knew if we got one, she would be the one. She might not have known that, but she just stepped up and drilled it.”
Bevens missed on her lone penalty stroke attempt this season.
“When I missed my stroke earlier in the season I didn’t think I was going to get another chance,” she said. “I’m glad that I did.”
The defense from both teams was as advertised through the first 70-plus minutes of action. At the conclusion of a scoreless first half, there was a total of four shots; three were from East Stroudsburg.
“They put a lot of numbers right in front of the ball and make you change the lanes to create opportunities and have some corners,” East Stroudsburg head coach Sandy Miller said. “We did have some opportunities, we just didn’t capitalize on them.”
The second half did not played much like the first; neither team was completely in control, nor did they get off a lot of clean shots on net. The best chance for either team came with 9:50 remaining in the fourth quarter. After receiving a pass inside the shot circle, East Stroudsburg’s Grace Martini fired a shot on a breakaway. It was denied by goalkeeper Julia Hand, who used her stick side to deflect the ball wide and keep the match scoreless.
Hand was credited with three saves in 72 minutes of action. None were bigger – or more difficult – than that one.
“I don’t really think about it; when you go to make a save on a shot like that, you’re not thinking about nerves or anything else,” Hand said. “Before she shoots the ball, you have to decide you’re going to save it. It’s the only way you can make those saves.”
Saint Anslem’s victory marks the first time in program history that the Hawks will play in the NCAA Championship game.
Saint Anselm, which led all of Division II with 19 shutouts in 21 games, squared off with East Stroudsburg, which was second among all Division II teams with 15 shutouts in 21 games.
In the end, it was Saint Anselm’s Emily Bevens who recorded the game winner with 8:51 remaining in the second overtime period to send the Hawks to the national title game. Bevens, a junior midfielder, scored on a penalty stroke. Saint Anselm will square off with West Chester on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 1 p.m., in the championship match at Millersville University.
Bevens was an unlikely hero for the match. The junior didn’t play at all in the second half or first overtime period, yet was called on to take the penalty stroke.
“You never expect you’ll be the one shooting for the game winning goal in double overtime for a spot in the national championship,” she said.
The moments leading to the penalty stroke nearly ended the game. The Hawks, taking a penalty corner, fired off a sequence of three consecutive shots that were either saved by East Stroudsburg goalkeeper Maddie Richie or blocked by ESU defenders. The loose ball continued to bounce around until the Warriors were called for a penalty.
Saint Anselm, 0-for-5 in the regular season on penalty strokes, now needed to convert to advance to the national title game.
“We were practicing strokes this week and [Bevens] was so consistent; she was scoring at 100 percent,” Saint Anselm head coach Carolyn King-Robitaille said. “I knew if we got one, she would be the one. She might not have known that, but she just stepped up and drilled it.”
Bevens missed on her lone penalty stroke attempt this season.
“When I missed my stroke earlier in the season I didn’t think I was going to get another chance,” she said. “I’m glad that I did.”
The defense from both teams was as advertised through the first 70-plus minutes of action. At the conclusion of a scoreless first half, there was a total of four shots; three were from East Stroudsburg.
“They put a lot of numbers right in front of the ball and make you change the lanes to create opportunities and have some corners,” East Stroudsburg head coach Sandy Miller said. “We did have some opportunities, we just didn’t capitalize on them.”
The second half did not played much like the first; neither team was completely in control, nor did they get off a lot of clean shots on net. The best chance for either team came with 9:50 remaining in the fourth quarter. After receiving a pass inside the shot circle, East Stroudsburg’s Grace Martini fired a shot on a breakaway. It was denied by goalkeeper Julia Hand, who used her stick side to deflect the ball wide and keep the match scoreless.
Hand was credited with three saves in 72 minutes of action. None were bigger – or more difficult – than that one.
“I don’t really think about it; when you go to make a save on a shot like that, you’re not thinking about nerves or anything else,” Hand said. “Before she shoots the ball, you have to decide you’re going to save it. It’s the only way you can make those saves.”
Saint Anslem’s victory marks the first time in program history that the Hawks will play in the NCAA Championship game.
