By By Justin Paley
Trailing 3-2 late in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament semifinals against the Northeastern University Huskies, Pride field hockey junior Leslie DeSimone appeared to tie the score on a penalty corner. However, the goal was disallowed and the Huskies held on to advance to the CAA Championship game as the Pride’s season came to an end.
“The initial shot did lift off the turf a little bit, which is considered a banana shot where the ball comes up and back down,” Pride head coach Kathy DeAngelis said. “We felt it hit the backboard and we felt it was a goal. To let the game be decided in the hands of officiating is certainly a disappointment.”
Junior goalie Jessica Cowperthwait (four saves) added, “It looked like the ref made the call too early. It was a legitimate goal. That one goal shouldn’t make or break the game.”
The Pride (13-7) played the Huskies tough, out shooting them 11-10 and had five penalty corners to the Huskies four.
It was certainly an improved performance from the Pride’s 4-0 loss at Northeastern earlier in the season.
“The 4-0 loss was before the team clicked,” Cowperthwait said. “We hadn’t gelled yet. We walked away from it knowing they were a beatable team. This game we were the underdogs and felt we had something to prove. We were looking at them as a way to get to ODU.”
Northeastern’s Whitney Shean had an outstanding game, scoring all three goals, including the game winner 16 minutes into the second half. The goal was set up when Ashley D’Ambra laced a pass near the right post where Shean was waiting and fired it past Cowperthwait.
“She’s a great player and when she had the opportunity she capitalized on it,” Cowperthwait said of Shean. “She’s a great forward.”
The Pride tied the game at two with 5:26 left in the first half on a penalty corner by junior Kara McEneaney, her fifth goal of the season.
Earlier in the first half, Northeastern had a penalty corner in which Shean passed to a teammate, whose shot was deflected by Cowperthwait. The deflection went right to Shean, who poked it in for the second goal of the game to give the Huskies a 2-1 lead.
Pride sophomore forward Pemba Ramdoo, a big reason why the Pride got to the CAA Tournament in the first place, scored her team-leading 11th goal of the season, tying the game at one 12 minutes into the game.
Shean scored in the ninth minute to put the Huskies up 1-0. The ball was approaching the net as Shean and Cowperthwait were racing each other to it. Shean took a diving swing and the ball connected with the back of the net to give the Huskies the early lead.
“Jess had an outstanding game,” DeAngelis said of her goalie. “One of best performances in CAA Tournament and last few weeks of the season.”
With about 20 minutes left in the game, Northeastern goalie Colleen Duffy fell on the ball and DeAngelis felt it should have been a penalty stroke. DeAngelis let the officials know how she felt and was given a yellow card and had to leave the stadium for five minutes.
“I love seeing her get fired up,” Cowperthwait said. “The emotion inspired us to work harder.”
The Pride advanced to the semifinals due to a dominating 4-1 win over Towson in the CAA Quarterfinal. Towson was out shot, 27-6, and had three penalty corners to the Pride’s nine.
Freshman forward Charlia Warner scored an unassisted goal off a rebound at 21:02 to put the Pride up 1-0 early. Warner again scored with 1:19 left in the first half on a penalty corner.
Towson cut the lead in half when Gabby Mink scored on a rebound 10 minutes into the second half.
Warner completed the hat trick just over 17 minutes into the second half on an unassisted goal. It was Warner’s ninth goal of the year, second on the team.
“I can’t say enough about Charlia Warner,” DeAngelis said. “She has stepped up and continued to play stronger and stronger every game. Coming through and having a hat trick in one of most important games of season just goes to show the player she has developed over the last two months.”
The Pride completed the scoring when freshman forward Kristin Griffiths scored unassisted at 68:30.