PLYMOUTH, N.H.   –  Junior Sage Drinkwater (Steep Falls, Maine/Bonny Eagle) scored with less than a minute remaining in the first overtime period to lift the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 3-2 overtime win against the Plymouth State University Panthers in a Little East Conference field hockey game Tuesday night at Panther Field.
 
In the midst of a five-game road swing, Southern Maine has gone 3-0 so far as the visiting team, including a pair of conference wins.  The Huskies are 4-0 in Little East Conference action.
 
The Records:
Southern Maine (11-6, 4-0 Little East)
Plymouth State (7-5, 1-2 Little East)
 
Today's game marked the 58^th meeting between the University of Southern Maine Huskies and the Plymouth State University Panthers.  Plymouth State leads the overall series 35-20-3; however, Southern Maine has won the last five consecutively, including a 4-3 overtime thriller in 2022.
 
How It Happened:

• After a scoreless first, Southern Maine freshman Norie Tibbets (Skowhegan, Maine) put the Huskies' ahead 1-0 in the 19^th minute.  Tibbets scored her eighth goal of the season off of an assist from junior Julia Edwards (Gorham, Maine). 
• With solid defense and strong goalkeeping, the Huskies kept the score at 1-0 through the half and for a majority of the third period.  However, Plymouth State pressured the Huskies for a majority of third, leading in shots 6-2, before tying the game up at 1-1 with four seconds remaining in the third quarter.  PSU's Taylor Healey scored her team-leading 17^th goal of the season at 44:54.
• In a back-and-forth fourth quarter, Drinkwater looked to have sealed the win in regulation for the Huskies scoring off of an assist from freshman Jenessa Foster (Pittsfield, Maine/Maine Central Institute) in the 58^th minute.  However, Panther Athena Comeau completed an assist from Healey as time expired on a PSU penalty corner forcing the extra time.
• The Huskies had multiple quality chances in the overtime stanza, but were stonewalled by PSU goalkeeper Kayla Antonucci. Antonucci, who finished the game with 13 saves, made seven stops in the overtime period, including a penalty shot stop in the 63^rd minute.
• With time running out and seemingly headed to a second overtime, the Huskies made a rush at the PSU goal in the final 1:15, and Drinkwater fired off two shots on goal at 68:49 and 68:52 only to have both saves by Antonucci. However, Husky senior Mary Keef (Westbrook, Maine) was able to collected a loose ball in the circle and find Drinkwater one more time for the game-winning goal at 69:14.

 
 
The Goalkeepers:
SM, Eleanor Folsom, 30:00, 1 GA, 5 Saves; Julianna Kiklis (1-0), 39:14, 1 GA, 3 Saves
PSU, Kayla Antonucci (6-5), 69:14 3 GA, 13 Saves
 
Inside The Statistics:

• With a pair of goals against Plymouth State, Drinkwater has 10 goals, and five assists this season for 21 points.  She has 36 goals and 15 assists for 87 points in her career (62 games).  Drinkwater is seventh in career goals, and tied for fifth in career assists.  Her 87 points are tied for seventh in Husky career records.
• Tibetts' has scored at least one goal in the Huskies' last three games. The Husky freshman has eight goals and two assists this season for 18 points.  Four of her eight goals have come in Little East Conference games.
• Today's contest was the third of the season to go to extra time.  The Huskies are 2-1 in overtime in 2023, defeating Husson 3-2 in overtime at Hannaford Field, and falling 3-2 in overtime at Worcester State. 

 
Up Next:
Southern Maine remains on the road at Castleton University on Saturday (12:00 pm) for a Little East Conference game.  Castleton defeated the Huskies for the 2022 Little East Conference Championship 2-1.