RINDGE, N.H. (September 14, 2022) -- A three-goal third quarter allowed American International to find its way out of a 2-0 hole in non-conference play at Sodexo Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Franklin Pierce University field hockey team fought back with a fourth-quarter equalizer, but it was AIC which prevailed in overtime, 4-3. Junior Morgan Martellio cashed in her own rebound just 98 seconds into the extra session to lift the Yellow Jackets to the victory. Freshman Sage Clukey (Winslow, Maine) scored her first collegiate goal in defeat for the Ravens.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 0-4, while AIC improves to 1-2. The two teams will meet for their annual Northeast-10 Conference contest on Oct. 11 at AIC.

Franklin Pierce built up a 2-0 lead, with a goal apiece in the first two quarters. In the 12^th minute, Clukey worked the ball along the left-wing end line and eventually centered for sophomore Caity Hazley (Kingston, Mass.), who finished off her second goal in as many games. In the 28^th minute, a foul in front of the AIC goal resulted in a penalty stroke. Sophomore Rebecca Phillips (West Amwell, N.J.) took the stroke and lifted it into the left side of the net for her first goal of the year.

AIC surged back after halftime, with a three-goal third quarter to take a 3-2 lead through 45 minutes. In the 36^th minute, junior Brooke Szafran had the ball on the right-wing side and centered for graduate student Nicole Mercadante. Mercadante ushered the ball along to senior Na'Bree Wallace at the left post, and the latter put away her first of the season.

The Yellow Jackets then struck on corners in back-to-back minutes later in the frame. In the 40^th minute, the ball came up top to Szafran, who dished it to the left for graduate student Shannon Cormier. Cormier stepped into the middle of the circle and put a soft shot through traffic for her first of the season. Just 73 seconds later, in the 41^st minute, the ball came up high for Cormier, who sent it off to the left side for graduate student Camarin Cook. Cook took a drive through traffic which found its way home for her first of the campaign.

Franklin Pierce showed some resiliency and found a 53^rd-minute equalizer to send the game to overtime. Junior Anna Beck (Attleboro, Mass.) was the catalyst on the play, as she intercepted a pass in the midfield and carried forward. She eventually sent the ball out to the right for senior Gabi Sturgeon (North Granby, Conn.), who had AIC senior goalkeeper Taylor Wildes headed her way in a hurry. Sturgeon found a lane to get a centering pass to Clukey, who brushed the ball into the vacated net for her first career score.

It was AIC which had the final salvo though, and it took just 1:38 into overtime to find the winner, in the 62^nd minute. Szafran did the heavy lifting, as she led a rush in from the midfield on the left side. Once she gained the circle, she put a pass into the middle for Martellio. Martellio's first shot was turned aside, but then she finished off her own rebound at the right post to kick off the celebration for the Yellow Jackets.

Sophomore goalkeeper Addy Araneo (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) made 12 saves against 16 shots and suffered the loss (0-2) in net for Franklin Pierce. Wildes (1-2) stopped seven of 10 shots for AIC, while freshman Grace Boisvert mixed in a defensive save along the way.

The Ravens are back in action on Tuesday, Sept. 20, when they travel to Southern New Hampshire for a non-conference contest at 6 p.m. in Manchester, N.H.