EASTON, Pa. – The American University field hockey team won its Patriot League opener in double overtime over Lafayette, 1-0. The Eagles and the Leopards needed more than 70 minutes to finish game one of conference play before Agustina Roffo found the back of the cage as her goal propelled American to victory.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH JENNINGS
"We are super proud of the team's effort and victory against an outstanding Lafayette team. I thought both teams played their hearts out and left everything on the field.
 
"We had been so close in so many overtime matches and it is great that we got to walk off with a big win. We continue to grow, and as we do, we will keep defining what is possible for our team. Now, we need to keep it going."

QUICK NOTABLES

• This is Roffo's first goal of the season, and first goal since she last scored against Lafayette in the Eagles' 1-nil victory in the 2023 Patriot League Championship game. The goal came in the 72nd minute of play.
• This was the Eagles' fourth overtime game this season, and third double overtime game. This is the first time AU has come out on top in an OT game this year.
• The stats for both teams were remarkably even. The Eagles had nine shots, four on goal to the Leopards eight shots, five of which were on goal. AU took the narrow, 3-2 edge in penalty corners taken.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Halfway through the first frame, the Eagles had taken two shots, one on goal, and played–for the most part–in the. It wasn't until the eighth minute that Lafayette worked the ball into the American circle for the first time.
• Through the full first quarter, nothing much changed from the halfway point. The Leopards still hadn't registered a shot and the Eagles for the most part controlled both possession and pace of play. AU was the only of the two teams to take a penalty corner in opening 15 minutes.
• In the 17th minute, Lafayette registered both their first shot and first shot on goal, forcing Underwood to get involved to keep the scoreline at nil-nil.
• Lafayette made sure the second set of fifteen minutes was much more even, playing themselves into the game. With three minutes to go before halftime, the Leopards earned their first corner of the game.
• Going into the break, both teams were identical in stats. Three shots, one on goal each, and one corner apiece.
• The third period saw the Leopards pick up the pace, dictate the first five minutes of play. Not until the final two minutes of the frame did Lafayette post a genuine threat when they won a corner and forced Underwood to make her second save of the game.
• With nine seconds left in the penultimate frame, a green card issued to American meant that the Eagles would spend the first two minutes of the final quarter down a player.
• A lengthy video review in the 47th minute would overturn a call on the field to give the Leopards a penalty corner and the Eagles would return to even strength unscathed.
• American knocked two shots on goal in the 49th minute, forcing goalkeeper Raffi Fragomeni to make saves in quick succession.
• In the 57th and 58th minutes, just 20 seconds apart, Underwood had two remarkable saves on what were Lafayette's best chances, the first in a one-on-one situation, to keep from going down late in regulation.
• Nothing was decided in regulation, so to overtime the contest went. In the 64^th minute, in golden-goal overtime, Underwood made another, remarkable 1-on-1 save to keep the Eagles in the game. Nothing would break through, so for the third time this season, AU would go to double overtime to decide a game.
• Early in the second overtime period, in the 72nd minute, Sophie Willemse would make a long pass to Emilia Winkler on the left wing. Winkler would slip it through the defense, diagonally across the goal, to an open Roffo who would redirect and slap it into the back of the goal.
• The Eagles would win in double overtime, 1-nil. It is AU's first overtime victory all season, having played in four, three of which have been double overtime games.

UP NEXT
The Eagles will finish their road weekend with a showing at Penn on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 1 p.m. before returning to Jacobs Complex to face off with Colgate on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 12 p.m.
 
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