KEUKA PARK, N.Y. -- A full 60 minutes of regulation play could not determine a winner on Tuesday night, but Kelsie Aloi '21 needed only 2:29 of overtime to find the back of the cage and lift Elmira College field hockey to a 1-0 win against non-conference foe Keuka College. With the win, the Soaring Eagles improve to 4-2 on the year and the Wolves of Keuka drop to 1-7.
 
The scoring play began with a standout defensive effort from Liz Shephard '21, who created a turnover at midfield and set up an Elmira counter attack. After stealing the ball, Shephard distributed an outlet pass to Janie Kempf '21 along the left-field sideline, allowing the junior midfielder to carry the ball and send a cross to Aloi.
 
On the cross, the ball deflected off of a Keuka defenders foot, but the official played the advantage, as the ball squeaked through her legs to Aloi. From there, the Moravia, New York, native outpaced one defender, before going one-on-one with Keuka netminder Kassidy Valentine.
 
Poised and composed, Aloi routinely wristed the ball through the legs of Valentine for the goal, sending the Elmira bench, players and fans into a frenzy. For Aloi, it was her fifth goal, and second game-winning tally, in EC's last three games.
 
Although Aloi delivered the most thrilling moment of the game, much of tonight's credit rests with Elmira's defensive efforts and goaltending play.
 
Keuka outshot Elmira, 15-8, and held a 9-7 advantage in shots on goal. The Wolves also registered more penalty corner attempts, 9-5. Elmira's defense denied Keuka on four penalty corner chances in the fourth quarter alone, including three consecutive penalty corners in a 21-second span.
 
EC's starting goaltender, Tina O'Donnell '20, made nine saves this evening in a winning effort. Six of the nine saves were made in the second half, as she made three stops in both the third and fourth quarters. The biggest save of the night for O'Donnell came in the 57th minute, when the Kutztown, Pennsylvania, native made a diving save to deny Keuka's Michaela Marrero on a penalty stroke.
 
In Her Own Words
Head Coach Jessica Franklin shares her thoughts on tonight's win…
"This wasn't our best game, but the girls really worked hard to keep the team together and in the game. They really came together towards the end of regulation and pushed hard in overtime. Tina really kept us in the game, her saves today were amazing and well executed. Her saving that penalty stroke just renewed the team's energy and had them playing hard after that. Having an overtime win and being 4-2 on the season is amazing. We're off to a great start and are coming to conference play soon. I think these games are really setting us up for some good games."
 
News and Notes

• Elmira improved to 4-2 on the year.
• The Soaring Eagles earned their second shutout of the season.
• EC remained perfect in road games this season at 3-0.
• The last three games played between Elmira and Keuka have been decided by one goal.
• Elmira is 4-1 against the Wolves in the last five meetings.
• Aloi scored her fifth goal of the season.
• Aloi logged her second game-winner of the year.
• O'Donnell improved to 4-2 and picked up her second shutout of the year.
• O'Donnell's nine-save total is the third highest of her senior season.

 
Up Next
Elmira will look to build on tonight's win on Saturday, September 28, when the Soaring Eagles open Empire 8 Conference play with a 3:30 p.m. road bout against Houghton College.