Spiders tally first overtime win of the season

Goodbye Explorers, hello Spiders. 

The University of Richmond field hockey team continues a four-game winning streak, pushing past La Salle University 2-1 in a vicious overtime battle on Sept. 26.

La Salle has struggled this season, racking up six losses and only two victories, neither of which were conference opponents. On the other hand, UR maintains a perfect 2-0 record in Atlantic 10 play. 

Last year, the Spiders shut out the Explorers 4-0 at home, but this game brought defeat to La Salle’s doorstep in Philadelphia.

Richmond held possession a majority of the game, but struggled to gain an early advantage in the circle. While neither team was able to generate any shots in the opening minutes of the game, both were capable of racking up numerous fouls. 

In the seventh minute of play, the Spiders had a chance at a corner, the first real scoring opportunity of the matchup. However, after the ball was entered the Explorers snagged it, bringing it to the other side of the field. 

Senior midfielder Lainey Nichols stepped up to the challenge later in the quarter, firing two shots back-to-back. The Explorers were ready, saving both attempts. With less than two minutes on the clock, La Salle was still looking for its first goal attempt. 

Cutting it close, the Explorers hit home in the 15th minute of play, making use of its only opportunity in the quarter. 

Opening the second quarter, Richmond made a play at two penalty corners, but found itself blocked by La Salle’s defense. As the clock ticked by, the Spiders looked for an opening to even the score before the break. 

Finally, junior forward Clara Larripa found the back of the cage in the 22nd minute of play, Richmond putting up the points it had worked so hard for. With a failed corner opportunity for La Salle in the final minutes of the half, the score remained a tight 1-1 going into the break. 

Both teams came in hot for the third quarter, focused on finding an advantage. In the first two and a half minutes, the Explorers tried their hands at a corner and Richmond fired off two shots, both of which were blocked. 

A yellow card on La Salle just a minute later did little to stop the fouls both teams had continued to tally throughout the entirety of the contest. Even with the Explorers and Spiders making goal attempts, the score remained tied. 

Richmond outscored La Salle in the fourth quarter, tallying four shots compared to the Explorers’ one. However, it also managed to have seven fouls while La Salle only tallied two. The minutes cut down to seconds and it became clear that this locked up contest was going into overtime. 

The final period took a quick turn as the Explorers wasted no time with a goal attempt. Fans on both sides held their breaths as the ball flew forward, only for it to fly wide. The grueling game continued on.

Senior midfielder Jess McMeeking received a yellow card, matching La Salle’s own card from the third quarter. The Spiders pushed on, a blocked corner kick denying a goal followed by a wide shot. They weren’t discouraged, however, not slowing down when it mattered the most. 

In the 66th minute, Larripa passed the ball from the left side of the circle, finding the stick of senior midfielder Emma Williams. She pulled back, hitting the ball and sending it straight into the cage, a goal that marked yet another Richmond win. 

At the end of the physical game the Spiders had recorded 33 fouls, the Explorers not far behind with 22. La Salle’s defense kept the game alive, tallying nine saves that counteracted Richmond’s advantage on the other side of the field. 

Now 5-3 for the season, the Spiders will stay in Philadelphia for the weekend, facing non-conference Temple University on Sunday, Sept. 28 at noon. 

While Richmond holds a 10-0 home record against Temple, the Spiders have struggled more in away games, managing a 5-3 record. Last season, UR pulled off a close 4-3 victory against the Owls. With hopes of keeping the winning streak alive, Richmond will have to bring it all. 

Contact sports editor Abigail Finney at abigail.finney@richmond.edu