STOCKTON EDGES STEVENSON 3-2 IN OVERTIME

Alicia Leadbeater

Boxscore

Alicia Leadbeater (Franklinville/Delsea) scored the game-winning goal on a penalty corner 1:15 into overtime to lift Richard Stockton (3-1) to a 3-2 victory over Stevenson (2-2). With the win, the Ospreys equaled their win total from the entire 2010 season in just four games. Leadbeater netted two goals for Stockton and Nancy White (Ocean City/Ocean City) added one.

Leadbeater gave the Ospreys the early lead with her first tally just 2:51 into the game. Stevenson’s Leigh Willing scored the first of her two goals at the 11:22 mark on a penalty corner. Ariella Hopp inserted the ball to Willing, who blasted a shot into the cage from the top of the arc for a 1-1 tie. Just 2:14 later White put Stockton on top 2-1 with an unassisted marker.

Stevenson tied the contest again with just 1:19 gone in the second half. The goal was nearly identical to the first as Willing received a pass from Hopp on a penalty corner and ripped a shot into the cage. The teams battled through nearly 34 scoreless minutes without breaking the tie and regulation time ended with a 2-2 deadlock.

Stockton took control of the ball at the start of overtime and advanced to the offensive zone, where the Ospreys earned a penalty corner. Megan Irving (Oaklyn/Collingswood) started the play with a pass to Leadbeater who deked right and fired a shot against the grain that went inside the left post for the game-winning goal in the 3-2 Stockton victory.

Stockton freshman goalkeeper Liz Stankiewicz (Freehold Twp./Freehold Twp.) earned the victory with eight saves. Her Stevenson counterpart Kelsi Zimmerman finished with eight stops and was aided by Hopp and Margaret Gill with three and two defensive saves, respectively.