By: Katie Zigelman, News Correspondent

The field hockey team took down No. 20 Stanford 2-1 in an overtime thriller Monday, bringing the Huskies overall record to 7-9 and 2-2 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), and up to fifth place.

Sophomore forward Nicky Graham scored two minutes into the extra session off an assist from junior forward Carolyn Malloy, helping the Huskies come back from a 1-0 deficit.

The Stanford University Cardinal scored the first goal of the game in the 37th minute after a scoreless first half. Sophomore forward Crystal Poland responded with less than three minutes left in the game, scoring a goal that forced overtime. In the extra session, Graham was able to score her fifth goal of the season.

Sophomore goalkeeper Lizzie Priest made 13 saves during the game, tying her career high.

“I was really happy we finished,” Priest said. “We played really hard the second half and kept fighting. The defense worked well together, we were communicating well and the atmosphere was up for the entire game.”

Head Coach Cheryl Murtagh said she was pleased with the results of this game, as well as Priest’s performance.

“Stanford is a good team, they were pretty dangerous but our team came back and we had an awesome finish,” Murtagh said. “Lizzie had an outstanding performance today. She’s a young goalie but when she puts her game face on she’s tough but calm in the cage at the same time.”

Priest made five saves in the second half, including one in overtime after she was slammed in the head by a Cardinal player with just two seconds left in the first half.

“I was really dizzy but OK,” Priest said.“It was a hard hit.”

The win over Stanford snapped a three-game losing streak, with the most recent loss Friday to Boston College. Despite junior midfielder Annie Clayman’s second goal of the season, the Huskies were defeated by BC 2-1.

The Eagles scored just seven minutes into the game, but Clayman retaliated with a goal of her own in the 13th minute to tie the game. Seven minutes later, the Eagles scored what would be the deciding goal when BC forward Tilly Brampton tipped in a shot from teammate Jacqui Moorefield.

The Huskies have four games left before the CAA championship begins, all of which are conference games including one against Drexel University, currently 5-0 in CAA play.

The Huskies need to finish in the top four of the conference to make it into the playoffs. With the last three games of the season coming against CAA-leader Drexel University, No. 2 Virginia Commonwealth University, and No. 4 James Madison University, Northeastern could leap from fifth place into the playoffs.

Priest talked about how excited the team is going into these final games.

“Our level of hockey has really improved and we have the confidence to do well,” Priest said.

Murtagh said each player recognizes that they are only as good as the whole. In turn, the players each recognize the amount of talent that each member brings to the team.

“They really believe it so there isn’t a lot that I have to do other than encourage team play,” Murtagh said. “We had a great team finish [against Stanford]. It’s all about their attitudes.”

The Huskies will resume action tomorrow when they host Hofstra University at Sweeney Field at 2 p.m.