Nov. 6, 2007
Box Score | Torrie's Game-Winner 
ATHENS, Ohio - After defeating No. 14 American, 3-2, in double overtime in a NCAA play-in game, the 15th-ranked Ohio field hockey team is going to the NCAA Tournament for the first in six years.
"It is really exciting," said Head Coach Neil Macmillan. "Everything is so instant in overtime. It is either win or go home, and we won. I think they outplayed us in the overtime periods, but we fought back and played a good game of hockey. Our goal was to do that today and we did."
Senior Torrie Albini (Escondido, Calif.) scored two goals, including the game-winner. Sophomore Katelyn Shelley (Ephrata, Pa.) scored her sixth goal of the season and MAC Player of the Year Jessie Martin (Louisville, Ky.) made four saves in goal for the Bobcats.
Albini's game-winner was her 20th goal of the season, which sets a new third-place Ohio record for most goals in a single season. Albini struck it in on a one-on-one move off a penalty corner from Nikki Gnozzio (Flanders, N.J.) in the second sudden-victory overtime.
"I knew that if I could get around the defender, the goal would open up," said Albini. "It is somewhat of my signature move. That's what I did and it hit the back of the cage."
The Bobcats had a 2-1 lead going into halftime after Shelly scored an unassisted goal to open up scoring two and a half minutes into the game. Albini then tipped it in at the 21:10 mark off a feed from Rachelle Coetzee (Bloemfontein, South Africa).
Maggie Hall put one in for American at the 15:22 mark. Hall scored off a penalty corner and assist from teammate Christine Fingerhuth.
American's Savannah Graybill scored the lone goal of the second frame as Fingerhuth earned her second assist of the game. Graybill's goal tied the game at 2-2 and both teams were scoreless for the remainder of the game and in the first overtime period.
For the game, Ohio took five shots, all on goal, and had six penalty corners. American took 11 shots, including six on goal, and was granted five penalty corners.
Ohio improves to 18-4 on the season, while American stops at 16-5.
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Quenjana Adams is the field hockey contact in the Ohio media relations office. She can be reached via email at adamsq@ohio.edu and in the office at 740-593-1299.
