NORTON, Mass. - Playing without leading scorer Cori Eggert (Denville, NJ), the Western New England College field hockey team had added incentive entering its match against Wheaton College in the semifinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Saturday afternoon (Nov. 11) at Clark Field.

The third-seeded Golden Bears gave the second-seeded Lyons all they handle before finally dropping a 1-0 decision in double overtime.

Eggert, a junior forward who compiled 41 points during the season, missed the game because of a teacher's exam.

Her Western New England College teammates rose to the occasion and just missed a couple of solid scoring opportunities in the second half despite being out-shot by a 20-7 margin in regulation.

Wheaton senior goalie Mary Catherine Boll (Columbus, IN) stopped a point-blank shot by sohomore Samantha Hensen (Branchville, NJ) with a little less than 12 minutes remaining in the game. Boll (who finished with 10 saves) then made another big stop off a blast from senior Allison Jameson (Brattleboro, VT) off a penalty corner with 8:20 left.

Western New England College had an 8-7 edge in shots in overtime, but just couldn't convert.

WNEC needed a strong effort from junior goalie Emilie Donka (White River Junction, VT) and she delivered finishing with 13 saves. Donka stopped a shot by junior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME) with 9:37 showing on the clock in the second extra session. Two minutes later Dimick beat the defense on the end line and sent home the game-winner at the 92:23 mark.

Wheaton (15-7) will visit top-seeded Endicott (a 3-0 winner over fourth-seeded Worcester State) at 1:00 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 12) in the ECAC championship game.

Western New England College closes out another exciting campaign with a 14-9 record with six of those losses coming by a single goal.