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PHILADELPHIA – For the third consecutive game, the Columbia field hockey team came from behind to come up victorious. Christina Freibott netted a dramatic goal in the final two minutes of regulation to cap a hat trick to tie things up and Whitney Hartstone scored the game-winner just 19 seconds into overtime to give the Lions a thrilling, 4-3, victory Saturday.
Columbia improved to 9-4 overall and 3-1 in Ivy League play. They now sit in a four-way tie for first place in the standings with Cornell, Dartmouth and Princeton. It also marked the third consecutive time the Lions (9-4, 3-1) and Quakers (4-7, 1-3) have had to use an extra frame to determine a winner.
Down 3-2 and with time winding down, Freibott's clutch goal came with 1:39 remaining after she attempted a diving shot from the left side of the goal mouth that went past the goal line for her sixth of the season. The great finish came off a tremendous pass by Katie Ruesterholz on the right side after a quick restart following a Penn foul.
Off the opening draw in overtime, Columbia marched down the field. Freibott received the ball down the middle, who passed to Ruesterholz on her right. Ruesterholz quickly saw a streaking Hartstone all alone on the left and the first-year buried the opportunity to give the Lions the walk-off triumph.
In the first half, Elise Tilton gave Penn the lead after creating space in the scoring area on the left side. Her shot went in by the far post to give Penn the 1-0 advantage less than five minutes in.
Freibott netted the equalizer off a penalty stroke in the 15th minute and the Lions took a 2-1 lead into the break after Kyle Marsh's insert on a penalty corner led to Freibott's second of the game in the 30th minute.
After the break, Penn knotted things up when Elizabeth Hitti's crossing pass was batted in by Alex Iqbal in the 38th minute. Columbia had a golden opportunity to regain the lead eight minutes later, when a nice passing sequence gave Leah Matthews a good look at the net, but Allison Weisenfels made a sprawling stop to keep the game tied.
Right after the save, the Quakers countered on the attack and Tilton netted her second of the game with a change of pace shot that trickled into the net, putting Penn on top, 3-2.
Some physical play led to a series of cards being drawn which halted any rhythm Columbia tried to build to square things up. After the teams returned to full strength, Columbia's began to build the momentum back in its favor.
With less than 10 minutes to go, the Lions drew three penalty corners. However, two of the shots were blocked and one went wide to keep the Quakers in front, temporarily, until Freibott's theatrics.
Freibott is the first Lion player to record a hat trick since Liz Malone '14CC accomplished the feat against Fairfield in 2012. She also extended her point scoring streak to seven games.
Shots finished 16-15 in favor of Columbia and they led the battle of the corners, 10-4. Kimberly Pianucci (8-4) made seven saves in net.
The Lions wrap up its non-conference slate with a road contest at Delaware on Sunday, October 19. Game-time is slated for 1 p.m.
