Box Score SARATOGA WIRE COVERAGE

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virg. — Salisbury took advantage of a rare overtime penalty stroke for a 3-2 NCAA Division III field hockey semifinal win over Skidmore College, Friday at the US  National Training Center.
 
The Thoroughbreds end one of the most successful years in program history, with a 19-4 record. Salisbury (17-3) will advance to Sunday's championship game against Bowdoin College, a 4-1 winner over Christopher Newport.
 
With Skidmore playing a player down after a yellow card, Thoroughbred goalie Haley McDougall made a pair of huge saves, but Salisbury was awarded a penalty stroke 11:35 into the first overtime.  Yumi Kim converted for Gulls for the win.
 
Both teams traded early first half chances. Dani DeGregory broke the ice at 13:27 when Salisbury goalie Rachel Clewer charged out to stop a Sam Skott shot, only to allow DeGregory to get behind her for the game's first goal.
 
The score stayed 1-0 until Salisbury made an full field run, capped by a Courtney Jantzen goal from five yards to even it with  1:14 left in the half.
 
Skidmore returned from the break fired-up with several early opportunities. Skott made it 2-1 when she scored off a corner from Kelly Blackhurst at 31:43. 
 
Salisbury wasn't able to take advantage of a 2:00 Skidmore yellow card penalty with 25:54 left, but the Gulls' Emily Voshell made another quick run down the left side and then caught the far post from eight yards out to tie it at 2-2  with 19:41 left in regulation.
 
The Gulls applied pressure over the final minutes of regulation but Skidmore's defense held to send the game into overtime.
 
The Thoroughbreds narrowly missed the winner off a corner 43 seconds into the OT when the shot went wide. The game went end-to-end, with McDougall making four of her game-high eight saves in the OT.  Skidmore was whistled for its third yellow card of the game with 5:08 to play in the OT.  Down one player, the Thoroughbreds hung tough before being whistled for the penalty stroke after a McDougall save.
 
"I thought it was a fabulous game that was well played on both sides," said Skidmore coach Beth Hallenbeck. "I'm pleased with the way the team played to the last second. They represented Skidmore in a positive fashion."
 
McDougall had no problem with the pressure of a national semifinal.
 
"Before the game I reflected on the rest of the season and I knew I played my entire high school and college career to get to the final four. I wanted to leave it on the field today."
 
While only credited with eight saves, McDougall knocked down or turned away several additional scoring opportunities.
Salisbury had a 21-15 shot advantage and an 11-9 edge in penalty corners.