Escobar leads Pilgrims past Panthers

The Pilgrims would not waste much time getting on the board as senior captain Jodie Dresser (Keene, N.H.) would flick in a pass from Escobar just 3:13 into the opening half. The two teams would settle down and play through the next 27 minutes scoreless before Plymouth’s Kristina Conroy (Wakefield, Mass.) would take advantage of a loose ball in front of the net, knotting the game at 1-1.  NEC would respond as Luccarelli would net her third goal of the season off a rebound just two minutes later giving the Pilgrims the 2-1 halftime advantage.

Plymouth’s Sarah Smith (Lexington, Mass.) would tie the game back up early in the second half as she would put in a cross from Conroy at the 45:32 mark. The Plymouth offense would have several opportunities in the second half out shooting NEC 12-6 but Pilgrim keeper Mary Roux (Auburn, Mass.) would come up with eight second half saves keeping the Panthers off the board and forcing overtime.

Both teams would have opportunities in overtime but neither team would be able to convert as the two teams would battle through 28 scoreless minutes.  The Pilgrims had a chance late in overtime on a penalty stroke but this time it would be the Panther keeper Elyse Sedgley (Hopkinton, N.H.) who would come up huge with the save.  With just under two minutes in the second overtime Escobar would score the game-winner for NEC off a pass from Luccarelli as the Pilgrims would sneak away with the 3-2 victory.

Picking up the win in net for the Pilgrims was Roux who finished with 22 saves on the afternoon.  Playing the complete game in goal for the Panthers was Elyse Sedgley who stopped 13 Pilgrim shots.