WORCESTER, Mass. – The Clark University field hockey team (0-2) battled Worcester State (2-0) for over 75 minutes, but the Cougars fell 3-2 in double overtime on Saturday afternoon in their home opener from Granger Field.

Graduate student Anna Joyce and senior Kimberlie Asseng netted the two Cougar goals in the match. Senior Grace Sawyer registered a game-high 10 saves.

Coach Kurzanski's Thoughts

"We played a heck of a game today," said Kurzanski following the game. "Our team played hard and played together until the last minute. Although the game didn't go in our favor, there are a lot of positives to come from that game. I am extremely proud of the fight our girls had out there today, as Worcester State is one of, if not, the top team in their conference. WSU is a solid team overall and I'm pleased with the speed, intensity, and pressure we came out with to put them out of their element from the beginning."

"As a team we got better today and I am confident moving into next week and eventually into NEWMAC play that we are going to turn some heads. This team is hungry and has a lot of heart, and it's an exciting team to be apart of."

How it Happened

• Senior Emma Boland took the penalty corner for the Cougars in the seventh minute and the ball eventually found the stick of Joyce who buried the ball into the back of the net to give Clark a 1-0 advantage.
• Asseng attempted the contest's next shot attempt that was stopped in the 13th minute and sophomore Rachael Romain fired one on net that was saved in the 14th minute as Clark held the lead after one quarter.
• First-year Autumn Golding broke free in the 25th minute, but was denied by Madison Ferrara and Asseng broke through the defense again but was once again denied in the 29th minute as Clark led 1-0 at the half.
• Sophomore Abbe Cravinho attempted her a pair of shots in the third that were saved and Romain fired one in on goal in the 45th minute that was stopped, but the Cougars defense faced a test at the end of the third as they stopped four consecutive penalty corners to end the frame.
• Romain fired a shot on goal in the 49th minute that was saved, but Asseng gathered the rebound and scored to push the Clark lead to 2-0 early in the fourth.
• The Lancers fought back with a pair of shots in the 53rd minute that Sawyer saved before Worcester State pulled within one with less than three minutes to go with a goal from Emily Saucier.
• Sawyer again came up with a pair of clutch saves in the final minute of the match, but the Lancers tied the game up on a goal from Karalyn Jones to force overtime.
• With the game moving to seven on seven in the overtime, the action ramped up as Sawyer stopped a breakaway shot in the 69th minute and stopped a critical two player breakaway from the Lancers which sparked a pair of shots from Boland that were saved as the game remained tied through one overtime.
• Sawyer remained active in the second overtime with a pair of early saves and senior Erin Hynes made a crucial defensive save in the 73rd minute before the Lancers ended the match in the 74th minute with a breakaway goal.

Inside the Box Score

• The goals for Joyce and Asseng were their first of the season and Romain recorded her first career assist.
• Romain fired a team-high four shots on goal and four total shots in the game.
• Clark attempted 20 total shots and 14 of them went on goal in the contest.
• The Cougars earned seven penalty corners and recorded 11 total saves.

What's Next

Clark will travel to Williams on Tuesday night for a match beginning at 7:00 p.m.