Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (15-6) won their first postseason title in school history with a 2-1 overtime victory over Arcadia University (16-7) in the ECAC championship game.
Britney Stein (Ocean City/Ocean City) scored the tournament-winning goal just 2:23 into the extra frame, giving the Ospreys their first ECAC title to cap a season in which they set a school record with 15 wins.
Casey Cordonna (Barrington/Haddon Heights) was chosen MVP of the ECAC tournament and joined on the All-Tournament Team by Stein,
Victoria Caiazzo (Manahawkin/Southern Regional),
Emily Gilligan (West Deptford/West Deptford) and
Kassidy Wentzell (Hammonton/St. Joseph's) from the Ospreys.
Stockton struck quickly as Cordonna scored her seventh goal of the season for a 1-0 lead just 3:04 into the match. Cordonna fed a penalty corner out to Wentzell, and her return pass was tipped in by Cordonna at the left corner of the cage to put Stockton ahead early.
The Ospreys held that lead until 2:05 remained in the half, when Arcadia knotted the score. Sydney Cyr blasted a goal from the top of the arc on a penalty corner for the 1-1 tie. Adera Ahern notched the assist and the teams went to the break deadlocked despite a 10-2 shot advantage for the Knights.
Arcadia held margins of 9-3 in shots and 8-2 in penalty corners during the second half but Stockton was able to hold off the visitors. At 39:15, Stockton was called for an infraction that gave the Knights a penalty stroke, but backup goalie
Niya Calloway (Matawan/Matawan) came off the bench to stop Lauren Dougherty and keep the match tied at 1-1.
Caiazzo made two defensive saves in the second half and the Ospreys killed off a five-minute disadvantage after a yellow card late in the period. Dougherty fired a shot wide on a penalty corner at the end of regulation and the match went to overtime.
Early in the extra period,
Sarah Fisher (Monroeville/Woodstown) gained control of the ball and worked her way into the scoring arc. Her centering pass found Stein in the slot, and the sophomore fired home the game-winner to give the Ospreys the 2-1 win and the ECAC championship.
Gilligan saw her shutout streak of 174:08 snapped in the win but earned the victory with eight saves in net. Ashton Evans kicked out three shots for the Knights in the match.
Stockton selections Cordonna, Stein, Gilligan, Caiazzo and Wentzell were joined on the All-Tournament Team by Cyr, Evans, Dougherty and Lindsay Bechtold from Arcadia plus Sarah Alexander from Juniata and Maddie Keppel from Ithaca.
