Senior midfielder Helena Cambra Soler scored two minutes into a second overtime against No. 25 Maine on Saturday to give the Kent State field hockey team its third victory over a ranked opponent in its last four games.

On Friday, Kent State had lost to No. 5 Northwestern 6-1. Both games were at Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois. 

It was the second overtime win this season for the No. 23 Flashes. A week ago Kent State won at No. 14 Syracuse 2-1 in overtime. 

The Flashes are 4-2. Maine is 1-4 but has lost to three ranked teams, including KSU.

The winning goal came after Jenna McCrudden took the ball at midfield. She drove it to the Maine circle, passed through a defender to Cambra, who was waiting in front of the goal. 

The Maine goalie came out of the net and slid to try to stop the ball, but Cambra shot it above her into the goal.

“It was a relief, to be honest,” Cambra said. “We were working really hard for so long, and the overtime was so great. We played hard until the end.”

Kent State trailed 1-0 at halftime but scored three times in the third period. Junior forward Sydney Washburn and senior forward Luisa Knapp scored less than a minute apart early in the period. Maine tied the game, then junior back Maria Cambra Soler, who is Helena’s sister, sent the Flashes ahead 3-2 later in the period.

Maine tied the game early in the fourth period. 

Kent State had the ball a majority of the time in the overtimes.

“We felt like we had good control and a lot of opportunities,” coach Kyle DeSandes-Moyer said. 

On Friday, Northwestern scored three times in the second period and controlled the game from then on. For the game, Kent State was outshot 14-4 overall and 12-3 on shots on goal. Knapp deflected a Cambra pass into the net in the fourth period for KSU’s only goal. 

After the Northwestern loss, KSU’s worst of the season, the Flashes regrouped.

“We just talked a lot about just bouncing back and playing for each other, and it was our last opportunity before Mid-American Conference play,” DeSandes-Moyer said.

Kent State opens MAC play Friday at home against Ohio University.

“Our record goes back to 0-0,” DeSandes-Moyer said. “We feel really good about these wins we had, and we are happy as a team. But everything resets next week.”

Jacob Hansen is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected]