O'Brien Hat Trick Pushes Terriers Past Vermont in Double OT, 4-3

Sunday, September 10

Burlington, VT

12 PM

Boston University

(2-3)

Vermont

(2-3)

Boston University

Vermont

Caroline O'Brien, Martu Coulo goal celebration

Photo by: Jon Ratner

O'Brien Hat Trick Pushes Terriers Past Vermont in Double OT, 4-3

September 10, 2023 | Field Hockey

Box Score Box Score

BURLINGTON, Vt. - Sophomore Caroline O'Brien capped a hat-trick performance with a goal in double overtime to lift the Boston University field hockey team to a thrilling 4-3 win at Vermont on Sunday afternoon at Moulton Winder Field.

The Terriers rallied from a 2-0 deficit with a pair of O'Brien goals before junior Payton Anderson gave BU a 3-2 lead in the third quarter. The Catamounts scored in the final moment of regulation to send the game into overtime.

Senior Kate Thomason was impressive in goal, making a career-high 12 saves, including three in overtime.

BU moves to 2-3 on the season while Vermont falls to 2-3.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Vermont scored on the first corner of the game as Sophia Drees found the back of the cage with assists from Haley Buffenbarger and Maddie Moran at the 8:59 mark.
The home team doubled its lead four minutes later on a goal from Reggie Hillery.
BU had two shots in the second quarter and scored on both them to draw even.
Off a corner, O'Brien drilled a shot past UVM netminder Lauren Halenkamp with assists from sophomore Megan Wetzel and senior Thalia Steenssens in the 22nd minute.
O'Brien scored another corner goal four minutes later as her shot went off a UVM stick and high into the cage with assists going to Wetzel and junior Tegan Poerio.
BU earned four straight corners early in the second half and used the final one to take the lead.
Anderson found the left corner of the cage on helpers from junior Natalie Epperson and Steenssens to put BU up 3-2 at 33:06.
Moments after the Terriers went up, Thomason raced out to make a stop and redirected the shot over the cage.
Thomason added three more saves in the fourth quarter before the Catamounts sent the game to overtime.
UVM earned three corners in the final half-minute and scored off the last one when Haley Buffenbarger snuck a shot past Thomason after the clock expired.
Sophomore Martu Coulo had the first scoring chance of overtime but her consecutive shots were saved and blocked.
The Catamounts earned back-to-back corners in the sixth minute of double overtime but Thomason was up to the task, making saves each time to allow for O'Brien's heroics.
The winning play came off a corner as Steenssens sent a direct insert to O'Brien, who notched her third goal of the contest at the 76:58 mark.

GAME NOTES

Thomason topped her previous career high of nine saves set on Friday against No. 16 Boston College.
O'Brien has now scored four of BU's past five goals.
UVM held a 22-15 shot advantag and had 16 corners while allowing 11.
Halenkamp made six saves for the Catamounts.
Steenssens collected three assists to up her team-leading season total to five.
Wetzel had the first two-assist game of her career.

UP NEXT

The Terriers will return to action on Saturday (Sept. 16) when they visit Holy Cross for their Patriot League opener.
Game time in Worcester is set for 4 p.m.