YORK, PA – The ninth-ranked York College field hockey team survived a spirited Franklin & Marshall squad 2-1 in overtime on Wednesday night in York.
The Spartans got the game-winning goal 24 seconds into overtime to pull out the non-conference victory.
York improves to 4-0 while the Diplomats fall to 1-4. Franklin & Marshall's four losses have all come by one goal with three of the losses coming to teams ranked in the NFHCA Coaches Poll.
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans struck for the game's first goal just over five minutes into the game. The Spartans earned a corner and were able to create a scoring chance. Maycee Collison entered the ball to Sara Pique who slid a pass to the front of the goal were freshman Olivia Miller tapped in the pass for the 1-0 lead. It was Miller's second goal of the year.
• That Spartan tally seemed to wake up the Diplomats as they turned up the pressure on the York defense. F&M had three shots and a trio of penalty corners over the next four minutes. That pressure culminated in an Alison McCarey goal off an Amelia McCarthy penalty corner 9:48 into the game. The Diplomats out shot York 4-2 in the first quarter while they held a 3-1 margin in penalty corners.
• The Diplomats dominated the second quarter of play. Fortunately for York, goalie Belle Fields was up to the task. F&M out shot York 10-0 in the second period while they also had eight penalty corners. Fields recorded five stops to keep the game tied at one heading to the half.
• The third quarter was scoreless as the play was a little more balanced than it was in the second quarter. The Diplomats had three shots in the period that were all on cage as Fields notched three more saves.
• The Spartans turned it up in the fourth quarter but they had to survive a furious six minute Diplomat flurry as two penalty corners and three shots gave the visitors as chance to go ahead. Fields had a big save with 8:39 left in the game. That save gave the Diplomats a second shot that was cleared off the line by Libby Wild to preserve the tie. York had back to back shots from Miller that were both saved by Diplomat goalie Meghan Dole. York had two corners and three shots but the Diplomat defense did not break. The Spartans drew a penalty stroke with 1:03 left in regulation but the attempt hit the post and the teams would go to overtime.
• Overtime would last 24 seconds as the Spartans took the opening possession and drove down the field. They drew a penalty corner and converted that chance as Hannah Huffman drove a pass in from the top of the circle that was tipped home by Katie Martino for the game-winner. The goal is Martino's third of the year and her second game-winner of the year.
• The Diplomats out shot the Spartans 20-10 overall and 12-7 in shots on goal. F&M also had a 15-7 margin in penalty corners.
 
Spartan Notes
York is now 13-26 all-time against the Diplomats but they have won three straight in the series  … this is the first game in program history where the Spartans have entered the game as a top ten team in the national rankings … junior keeper Belle Fields, the MAC Commonwealth Defender of the Week, put together another impressive performance with a season-high 10 saves, one short of her career high established last October 12 against Messiah … Fields now owns a 0.50 goals against average and a .895 save percentage with 17 saves in four games … Katie Martino notched her eighth career game-winning goal as she is one game-winner away from joining the top ten in school history in the category … the Spartans gave up just their second goal in four games while the Spartans have scored nine … York was out shot for the first time this year while they lost the penalty corner match up for the second time this year … the Spartans improve to 18-4 at Kinsley Field over the last three seasons … York is 6-1 against Centennial Conference teams over the last three seasons as they have one more game against the CC when they host Dickinson next Wednesday.
 
Up Next
The Spartans continue their three-game home stand as they host Ithaca College in a non-conference contest on Saturday afternoon at Kinsley Field. Game time is set for 1:00 pm. It will be the first meeting between the two programs.