Cattaruzza Scores In Overtime, Lifts Pride To NECC Final

WESTON, Mass. – Mackenzie Cattaruzza (Guilford, Conn.) capitalized on an Yvonne Abate (Easton, Mass.) steal to score in overtime and lift the Regis (Mass.) field hockey team to a nail-biting 2-1 win over Becker in the semifinals of the New England Collegiate Conference Tournament Wednesday night at Regis Stadium.

Abate's clutch steal came as Becker (5-16) had numbers on attack just under five minutes into overtime. Gaining possession, she pushed the ball up the field and found Cattaruzza who scored to send the top-seeded Pride into Saturday's NECC title game. Regis will play second-seeded Elms who beat Wheelock in the other semifinal.

The Pride got on the board first, scoring in the seventh minute to take the early lead. Flying down the left wing, Aineen Callahan's (Diamond Point, N.Y.) initial shot was stopped by Becker goalie Elysabeth Jeffries (Lisbon Falls, Maine) but Callahan followed up and slotted the ball in after a scrum in front of the net.

Becker, after several scoring opportunities went by the wayside, finally put one in to tie up the score in the 27th minute. Amy Grenier (Westminster, Mass.) scored on an unassisted goal on a breakaway and all of a sudden the game was tied.

Both squads had excellent chances to score in regulation. Five minutes into the second half, Jeffries foiled a Regis (11-7) chance on goal before Maresa Malcolm (Barrington, N.J) denied Becker in a series of repeated shots on goal.

With about 20 minutes to play, the Pride began to take control and were unfortunate to not end the game in regulation. Callahan had several chances but none bigger than Cattaruzza's point blank shot and save with under five minutes to play. It didn't take long for Cattaruzza get another opportunity though, this time making good on her chance and giving the Pride the overtime win.

Malcolm had seven saves with Jeffries tallying 10.

Regis and Elms will square off in the NECC championship for the second time in three years. The Pride topped the Blazers 1-0 in overtime in the 2014 title game.

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