Oct. 15, 2008

 

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UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Junior Megan Thompson scored the game-tying goal to force overtime and then the game-winning goal in the extra session to give the Richmond field hockey team a 3-2 victory over city-rival VCU on Wednesday at Crenshaw Field.

Thompson's two-goal performance was the fourth time in her career she has scored a pair of goals in the same contest. She moves into a tie for the team lead in both goals (5) and points (12). Thompson has scored three goals in the last two games and now has 20 for her career, which has her one goal from breaking into the Spiders' all-time top-10 list.

"Megan is a fighter," Richmond senior Alex Malatesta said. "Once she got the ball in her hands I already knew it was over."

"It's great to see that we're resilient," Richmond head coach Gina Lucido said. "Megan and Alex were incredible tone setters. Everybody on the field in overtime followed the game plan, played together and Megan finished the job."

The Spiders had jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 10:25 into the match on junior Sarah Blythe-Wood's fifth goal of the season. Malatesta and sophomore Michelle Weaver had assists on the goal.

Richmond (4-9) held its 1-0 lead through halftime, but in the 45th minute VCU's Marle van Dessell scored her 11th goal of the season on an assist from Meg Thaxton.

About eight minutes later, VCU (4-10) tied the game when Rosan van Eijkelenburg scored on a penalty corner on assists from Alaina Vernetti and Flore van Dessell.

Then with 15:28 left in the match and the Spiders still down 2-1, Megan Thompson was issued a yellow card for a hard foul and was sent to the penalty area to sit for five minutes. With the Spiders playing down a player, Richmond appeared take total control of the game, not allowing a VCU shot on goal during the five minutes Thompson was on the sideline.

Less than four minutes after returning to the field, Thompson took a pass from sophomore Dani Pycroft and found the back of the net to tie the game.

"I was really mad because I got that yellow card, came back in and got that really great touch from Dani and just able to one time it into the goal," Thompson said. "Then going in overtime we wanted to come out and finish. VCU has had a lot of games going into overtime and we knew that they would come out strong because this is something they're used to and we really just wanted to get the job done before they did."

The Spiders now return to conference play to host Saint Joseph's on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and Temple on Sunday at noon.

"This was outstanding that we were able to come from behind and get the win," Lucido said. "It's so crucial going into an A-10 weekend, building needed confidence that we can be very good if we can sustain consistency in playing as a team."