BANGOR, Maine – The Manhattanville College field hockey team went undefeated in the New England Colligate Conference (NECC) regular season and are heading into the postseason tournament ranked No. 1. This was all determined after a double overtime win against Husson University on Sunday, Oct. 27. Both teams fought up to the very end until the Valiants scored the lone goal of the day with eight seconds remaining on the clock. Additionally, head coach Kevin Kelly earned his 100th win after today's suspenseful match up.

Kelly has been coaching the Valiants for 11 years and is the programs all-time winningest coach with 100 victories. This is the first year the program has been a part of the NECC and Kelly is leading his team into the semi-finals in two weeks. The team has not seen the playoffs since 2016 but is currently the highest seed going into the postseason this year. Kelly and the team are currently on an 11-game winning streak, the longest the program has seen since 1980 when the squad won seven in a row. Kelly has coached three 2019 NECC players of the week, two NFHCA All-Americans, three NFHCA All-Region, three ECAC All-Stars and 25 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom All-Conference players.
 
Both Manhattanville (15-3, 7-0 NECC) and Husson's (7-8, 4-2 NECC) defense and goalies dominated the game as they held one another scoreless throughout regulation play. The Ealges attampted four shots in the first half, but Valiant sophomore Zoe Fillebrown (Nashua, N.H./Nashua North) saved the first, her defense blocked another and two went wide. Junior Arnise King (Wilmington, Del./Concord) was the only Valiant to get a shot off in the first half, while Eagles' goalie Kimmie Goddard denied her opportunity.
 
The Crimson and White were outshot again in the third quarter 4-3. Senior Ameerah Thomas (Norfolk, Va./Granby) took all three shots for the Valiants, one resulting in a save and two being blocked by Husson. Manhattanville's defense and Fillebrown tallied one more block and save in the fourth before the closing of regulation play.
 
In the first overtime period, the Valiants had back-to-back corner opportunities. Junior Lexi Crites (Middleboro, Mass./Kents Hill School) took both and on the second play passed the ball to senior Maisey Kettlewood (Nottingham, N.H./Dover) who drove her shot high. This was the last scoring chance Manhattanville had all period. Following the Valiants offensive attempt, the Eagles took four shots before the end of the period. Manhattanville's defense stopped two and Fillewbrown rejected a pair as well.
 
The Valiants took seven shots in double overtime, four of them coming from Crites.She took two shots four seconds a part, Goddard blocked both and a third sent from senior Robin Boot (Bedum, Netherlands/H.N. Werkman College) 18 seconds later. The Eagles had a breakaway opportunity as Allysah Greene carried the ball down the field and into the circle. Junior Isela Casillas (Chula Vista, Calif./Eastlake) stepped up, swept the ball away from her and dribbled it back into the Valiants favor.
 
With eight seconds remaining in double overtime, Boot took the ball in around the 30-yard line. She dribbled it all the way down into the circle and pushed the ball towards the right post. Freshman Ava Panzer (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling) stood on the post and was able to deflect the ball past the Eagles and secure the win for the Valiants.
 
As the top seed in the NECC Tournament, Manhattanville receives a bye into the semi-final round. The Valiants will host both semi-final match ups on GoValiants.com Field in Purchase N.Y., on Nov. 9 as well as the Championship game on Nov. 10.