MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – The St. Mary's College of Maryland field hockey team concluded their 2026 campaign Saturday afternoon (Nov. 7) with heartbreak in the championship game of the 2026 United East Conference Field Hockey Championship Tournament. No. 2 seed St. Mary's College (10-8) finished as the runner-up after falling 2-1 at top-seeded Penn State Harrisburg (12-5) following 80 minutes of play and a shootout.
The Seahawks, the two-time defending United East champions, saw their streak of three consecutive conference titles halted after Harrisburg won the shootout, 3-1, to claim its first-ever conference tournament crown.
How It Happened
- Following a scoreless first half, the Lions broke through four minutes into the third quarter when Sadie Cook sent the ball towards the far post and Alysa McCarthy deflected it in for a 1-0 lead at 34:27.
- Senior midfielder Safi Stimely (Linthicum, Md./Broadneck) responded for SMCM just over two minutes later when Stimely dribbled all the way from the 50-yard line into the circle and split two defenders before finding the back of the goal to level the game at 36:44.
- The contest remained at a standstill for the remainder of regulation and the two sides headed into overtime.
- Harrisburg outshot St. Mary's College, 7-3, and earned three penalty corners in the first extra frame but junior Sophia Kent (Chesterville, Md./Gunston) turned away six shots to maintain the 1-1 draw.
- In the second overtime stanza, the Seahawks flipped the script and outshot the hosts, 5-1, but Macenzie Mulholland stood tall in goal, making four stops and sending the game into a shootout.
- Both sides missed their first two attempts in the shootout. Anna Moyer and senior midfielder Tori Hampton (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) each scored on their attempts to even the shootout at 1-1.
- McCarthy converted on her shootout to give the Lions a 2-1 edge; however, SMCM missed its fourth attempt allowing Kasey Toth to put the win out of reach.
Inside the Box Score
- Harrisburg posted a 16-12 shot advantage, including a 14-9 margin for shots on goal.
- The Lions edged St. Mary's College, 6-5, in corners.
St. Mary's College
- Stimely and sophomore defender Julie Presgraves (Frederick, Md./Frederick) paced the Seahawks with three shots each.
- Kent finished with 13 saves.
Penn State Harrisburg
- Moyer led the Lions with six shots (five on target) while Mulholland ended the game with eight stops.
Up Next for the Seahawks
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