NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- Junior Anna Ballou (Deerfield, Mass./Deerfield Academy) tied the game with a goal in the second half and then won it with a goal in overtime as Smith field hockey rallied for a 2-1 victory over visiting WPI in a NEWMAC field hockey match-up played Tuesday evening.    
 
Both teams are now 4-2 in conference play and tied with Springfield for second in the nine-team league.  Smith is 9-6 overall while WPI falls to 10-3 on the season.
 
Smith attempted the first five shots of the night and had the best chance in the opening 30 minutes but the Sammie Pavlov's (Royersford, Pa./Westtown School) penalty stroke went wide left at 25:51.  WPI got its first shot at 30:23 as Abby O'Sullivan shot wide and found the back of the goal in its second bid when O'Sullivan's feed was belted home by Julia Vanderstreet with just 1:11 left before halftime.
 
The Pioneers continued to apply pressure in the second half, taking all seven shots in the stanza.  The hosts leveled the scoring midway through the session when Ballou knocked home a pass from Morgan Handwerger (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) at 52:16.
 
Smith almost won the game on its opening shot of overtime but Alex Larosee's (Warwick, R.I./The Wheeler School) try hit the outside of the post 1:37 into the extra period.  The Pioneers sent their fans home happy less than two minutes later when Ballou found herself in the middle of the field in open space, dribbled around traffic in the circle and knocked home her sixth goal of the season.  
 

NOTABLE

• Ballou now has six goals on the season.
• First-year goalkeeper Channy Cornell (Arlington, Tex./The Oakridge School) earned the win in net for Smith.
• WPI goalkeeper Karen Mushrall was credited with both saves in the game while the WPI defense contributed with a defensive save.  
• Smith held a 14-3 edge in shots and an 11-3 advantage in penalty corners.
• The Pioneers improve to 20-22 all-time against the Engineers and have won the last four meetings.

 
UP NEXT
Smith is back in action Thursday when its steps out of conference and heads to No. 20 Amherst for a 7:00 p.m. affair.

(Recap Courtesy to WPI Athletics)

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.