Worcester, Mass. - MIT freshman Lia DiGiovanna
scored the game's only goal in the final minutes of the first
overtime to lift the visiting Engineers to a 1-0 win over host
Clark, denying the Cougars their first NEWMAC title since 2002.
The two teams end conference play at 5-3, with the Engineers
holding the tiebreaker because of the head-to-head victory.
In a game that figured to be a high-scoring affair with three of
the NEWMAC's top ten scorers in action, proved to be anything but
as defense ruled the night.
MIT held a 12-8 edge in shots and a slight 5-4 advantage in penalty
corners.
Clark looked as if it might take the lead late in regulation but
senior Lauren
Blake (Oakland, Maine) had her shot turned away by
Engineer netminder Keri Dixon (Bethlehem, Pa.) in
the 68th minute.
Overtime was winding down when Kameron Klauber found DiGiovanna for
a goal that she snuck into the left corner of the cage with 2:40
left.
Cougar netminder Kathryn
Dawsey (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) turned back seven
shots, while Dixon made three stops.
MIT improves to 14-4 overall and locks up the No. 2 seed in the
upcoming NEWMAC Tournament, while Clark slips to 8-6, but will host
Mount Holyoke in a quarterfinal match on Saturday.
Before that, however, the Cougars will host Wheelock in a
non-conference meeting on Thursday in what will be the final home
game for the program's seven seniors.