FAIRFIELD, Connecticut – Samantha Mehalick moved into second place all-time in program history with five goals, Devon Connolly matched a career-high with five points, and eight-seed Marist battled top-ranked Fairfield into overtime but dropped a 14-13 decision in the MAAC Quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon at Rafferty Stadium.
 
The Red Foxes close their 2021 season at 3-5, while the Stags advance to the MAAC Semifinals next week and improves to 11-1 on the year.
 
Marist sought to become the lowest seed in MAAC Championship history to reach the semifinal round, and played a close contest for the entire 62-plus minutes. Neither team had a lead larger than three goals, and Fairfield did not lead for more than two goals.
 
Connolly totaled four goals and an assist. Kelly George recorded three goals and an assist, while Kerri Gutenberger notched two points. Delaney Galvin secured 12 saves between the pipes.
 
For the Stags, Kelly Horning had a game-high six goals, while Arianna Lavelle registered four goals off the bench.
 

FIRST HALF

• Galvin started with a free position save on Lavelle in the first 1:27.
• Marist rocketed off three consecutive goals to begin the scoring. Connolly converted twice, including a free position goal and tally from distance parallel to the left post. Her scores sandwiched a George bounce shot that snuck past Olivia Conquest in goal.
• The Stags scored two straight, bur George responded with her second of the day on a nifty spin move through the left side with 21:40 on the clock.
• With 16:34 and Marist ahead 4-3, Fairfield couldn't corral a loose ball in their own end, and Mehalick fought through traffic to dump it by Conquest.
• Fairfield tied it at 5-5 with scores by Diana DeVita and Lavelle past the midway point of the stanza.
• Both defenses clamped down from there, not allowing a goal until Elizabeth Rowe lit the lamp for the Stags with 2:25 until halftime.
• After Fairfield extended their lead to 7-5, Mehalick potted a pass from Kerri Gutenberger to close the frame trailing 7-6.

 

SECOND HALF

• Each team traded goals in the first four minutes, with Mehalick earning the hat trick on a feed from Isabelle Stockman.
• Fairfield went ahead 9-7 six minutes in, but Marist registered four straight goals from four different players, with Connolly's tally trickling in at the 18:15 mark to put the Red Foxes on top 11-9.
• Connolly potted her fourth goal from just inside eight meters straightaway, setting up a 12-10 Red Fox lead halfway through the period.
• The Stags scored on the free position attempt with 12:10 to go, but that was the last score from either side until the clock read 4:08, when Mehalick rolled along the crease and lasered a shot by Conquest for a 13-11 Red Fox edge.
• Lavelle closed the gap with 1:50 to play, then Horning tied the game with 54 seconds to go to force overtime.

 

OVERTIME

• Galvin denied a face-to-face shot from Lavelle 1:08 into the extra frame, and Villemure scooped up the ground ball.
• One minute later, Gutenberger got an open look near the right post, but Conquest snagged the low-to-low shot.
• Horning ended the game with a cross-body shot with 3:16 remaining in overtime.

 

STATS

• Fairfield had the 37-29 advantage in shots, including 26 to 24 shots on goal.
• Marist controlled 19 draws to the Stags' nine.
• Romy Villemure tied her career-best with nine draw controls, and led the Red Foxes with three ground balls.
• Stockman secured seven draw controls and caused two Stag turnovers.
• Horning also paced Fairfield with five ground balls, five draw controls, and three caused turnovers.

 

NOTES

• Mehalick surpassed Lindsey Diener for second place on Marist's all-time points list. In 68 career games, the North Brunswick, NJ native recorded 232 goals, the most in Marist and MAAC history, and 248 points, which ranks fifth all-time.
• George also entered the top 10 in Marist's all-time points list, supplanting Kara McHugh with 143 points.
• Needing one draw control to move into the top 10 at Marist, Villemure's 92 career draw controls is tied with Stephanie Garland for seventh place.
• Galvin's 23 goalie wins rank second all-time, while her .478 save percentage and 12.64 goals against average sit 4th and 8th, respectively.