The California field hockey team was down for a majority of the game but rallied back in the fourth period to force overtime and eventually earn a 2-1 victory over UC Davis at the Aggie Field Hockey Facility on Friday afternoon. The Golden Bears (7-7, 2-5 ACC) extended its win streak to 10 straight over the Aggies (6-8).
Holly Pears scored the game-winning goal for Cal just over five minutes into the overtime period.
UC Davis took an early 1-0 lead just over two minutes into the contest and the score remained that way for most of the game. Cal had its chances with a combined nine shots and four penalty corner opportunities through the first three periods but was unable to find the back of the net.
It wasn't until the Bears earned their seventh penalty corner, which occurred with just five minutes remaining in the game, that they scored the equalizer.
Zara Schmitz inserted the ball to
Lieve Schalk, who passed it to Liz Klompaker for the game-tying score. It marked Klompmaker's 27th goal of her career, moving her just one away from tying for the 10th spot on Cal's all-time career list.
In overtime, Klompmaker dribbled the ball halfway across the field and into UC Davis territory before finding Pears, who took the ball on the right wing inside the circle and scored the game-winning goal.
Cal outshot UC Davis 13-5 and had seven penalty corners to the Aggies' one.
"It's always difficult to win at Davis," Donna Fong Director of Field Hockey
Shellie Onstead said. "It's always a close game. This was not a surprise, but a great team win. We had two starters out [
Delphine Ayitey-Hammond and
Maya Hoepfner], but we found a way to hang in there. I credit the whole group, whether they played or not. We did it together. I know this is not a real word, but that's teamsmanship. That's what I call it."
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Cal wraps up the regular season by hosting cross-bay rival Stanford on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT.
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