PITTSFORD, N.Y. – In their 2021 home opener on the Growney Stadium turf, the St. John Fisher College field hockey team bested the Hartwick Hawks in overtime with a final score favoring the Cardinals, 3-2. With the triumph, Fisher improved its overall record to 2-0, while the Hawks suffered their first loss of the year and stumbled to 1-1.
 
Although the scoreboard didn't always agree, the Cardinals maintained control of the game with the offense's firepower. Fisher hit the Hawks' keeper with 20 shots on the night, 13 of them landing on target – more than triple the amount of shots the visitors took.
 
After a stagnant first period of play, the competition ramped up as the game entered its next stanza. Both teams were awarded two corners each before Hartwick scored its first goal of the evening on a breakaway in the 28^th minute.
 
Fisher was eager to even the score as they stormed out of the halftime intermission with the equalizer. In the 32^nd minute, the Cardinals took the time to set up a scoring play as they were awarded a corner opportunity. Ashley Wightman retained an offensive rebound and passed to Alyssa Andres who rocked the back of the opponent's net.
 
Hartwick did not shy away and used a corner of their own to devise their own attack, as they took the lead in the game's 42^nd minute. Less than 20 seconds later, Bre Socker found her fellow forward Wightman cutting to the goal, who tipped in the tying score.
 
15 more minutes of play could not decide a winner, but the Fisher keeper, Sophia Trozzi, made a crucial save on another Hartwick breakaway, sending the contest into extra minutes.
 
With only one score needed to win, Gianna Palma got free in the midfield, drove toward the offensive side of the field and passed through the Hartwick defense. The ball found the stick of Allison Bartlett who crossed up the Hawks keeper and fed Socker a pass, which she chipped in from point blank range, just over two minutes into overtime.
 
Rounding out the attempts at the cage were Andres with seven, Socker with four, Bartlett and Palma who had three apiece, Wightman with two, and Rileigh Luste with just one shot.
 
Trozzi got her second win in net for the Cardinals after making three saves in a little over 62 minutes of play.
 
Fisher has nearly two weeks of rest before they host their next Empire 8 competitor, Houghton College, for field hockey's senior night on Thursday, April 15 at 7 P.M.