Northampton, Mass. - Allie Stein bagged a hat trick, including the game winner in overtime, as the Smith College field hockey team knocked off Clark University 4-3 in an exhilarating New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) field hockey contest on Sunday afternoon.

The win snapped a 22-game, nearly three-year NEWMAC winless streak for Smith, who improved to 3-8 overall, and 1-4 in NEWMAC play. The Pioneers had not defeated a league opponent since an 8-3 win over Worcester Polytechnic Institute on October 21, 2008, and this win came 13 days shy of the three year anniversary of that win.  Clark lost their second consecutive game, falling to 7-3 overall, with a 1-2 NEWMAC ledger.  

Stein got the opener 12:45 into the contest when she deflected Phoebe Hopkins' pass past Clark goalie Kate McGrath (Wilmington, Mass.). 

Less than three minutes later, it was 2-0, and Stein was the scorer again.  With the ball loose in the box, the sophomore took one touch, swiveled, and beat McGrath to the right side for her tenth goal of the season.

Mel Melkonian (Worcester, Mass.), who came into the game as the nation's leading scorer amongst Division III players, had a breakaway attempt at the 21:36 mark stymied by Smith netminder Savannah Lawson. The Cougars earned a penalty corner 30 seconds later, but Lawson came to the rescue again for Smith, smothering Melkonian's next effort.

Clark kept trying to beat Lawson, as Melkonian hit the post, but Lawson was on hand to gather the rebound and keep Clark off the board. Lawson stoned Melkonian twice more before halftime, and the Pioneers took the 2-0 lead into the break.

Melkonian would not be denied, finally getting the Cougars on the board early in the second half.  The junior forward took the ball off a Smith stick and broke in alone on Lawson, beating her with a diving effort that came 94 seconds into the second half.

Smith restored a two-goal lead at the 53:07 mark when Stein turned provider, as Hopkins rammed home her second goal of the season to put the Pioneers up 3-1. 

Clark responded with a goal six minutes afterward, as Melkonian netted her second of the day and 22nd of the season to set up a tight finish.

The Cougars forced overtime with seven minutes left in regulation when Maureen Coakley's (Worcester, Mass.) pass was redirected into the cage by Madeleine Lutts (Salem, Mass.) to level the scores at three. 

With the wide open field of 7-v-7 overtime, Smith nearly won the game in the opening minute.  Hopkins took a pass and glided down field, but McGrath came out of the cage to deny her a winning goal.  Smith could not be denied forever, and 6:17 into overtime, they got the winner.  Hopkins' pass found the stick of Stein, who slipped it under McGrath to complete the hat trick and a memorable win.

Lawson made eight saves for Smith, while McGrath also made eight for Clark.

Smith will be in action next on Thursday, October 13, when they host Western New England University in a non-conference contest at 4 p.m. 

Clark is off until Saturday, October 15, when they host city rival WPI at 1 p.m.