Every season the Towson University field hockey team faces local opponents and the 2014 season was no different. The Tigers faced American, ranked No. 18, in a neutral site territory in College Park during the Terrapin Invitational.
 
Towson went into the game facing a very good Eagles squad, but the Tigers solidified an unexpected victory, the only win in program history over a ranked opponent.
 
The Tiger Throwback series is presented by Hollenshades.
 
Towson has played American many, many times. For reference, the all-time series record against the Eagles is 5-31-3. Five wins over a team since 1979. One of those five wins came in September of 2014 in the Maryland Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.
 
"This is the one memory I think that everyone on the team that year will hold with them forever," said Courtney Branco.
 
Entering the game, the Tigers were 0-3 having lost to Saint Joseph's Lock Haven and Saint Francis (Pa.). American had a 3-1 record with wins over No. 9 Old Dominion, No. 16 Michigan State and Saint Joseph's after dropping the first game of the season to Richmond.
 
Coming in on a three-game win streak, ranked No. 18 and playing in a neutral site, the Eagles certainly seemed to have an advantage. Or so they thought.
 
"Going into a game against a ranked team, it's nerve wracking," said Megan Boyle. "We were the underdog; we were not supposed to come out on top."
 
American took an early lead, scoring in the eighth minute and again 20 minutes later to take a 2-0 lead into the half. Boyle came up strong for the Tigers in the net, she kept them in the game with a strong five saves in the first half.
 
Boyle credits the defense for keeping the ball even away from her at all, but the Eagles came out of the locker room and still didn't score again until the 61st minute.
 
"I don't think it was different than any other game," Branco said. "But I think we had more urgency behind it. Everyone was on the same page, everyone was riled up during the warmup and we were just ready to go."
 
As Boyle held her own between the posts, Branco scored the first Tiger goal of the day in the 62nd minute and the scores started flowing.
 
"Once I scored the first goal, I feel like everyone on the team was excited," Branco said. "They were ready, their adrenaline was pumping and we just fought for the win."
 
Kelly Mattingly followed up with Towson's second goal, cutting the lead to one with five minutes on the clock, assisted by Stacey Mackintosh off a penalty corner. The corners helped the Tigers seal the win as American did not make it back down the other side of the field for the remainder of the game.
 
In the 66th minute, Mackintosh scored one of her own, assisted by Kelsey Jenkins, and it was a tied game with 3:09 to go on the field.
 
"We're like 'oh we can do this, we have time to make one more goal.' Then all of the sudden, American's defense just starts collapsing," Mattingly said. "They were all over the place and not working together at all, and somehow all of our passes up the middle just started clicking."
 
With 49 seconds on the clock, Branco scored the game-winner on a corner and the rest is history.
 
"I remember watching the clock, just watching the clock because it almost seemed impossible," Boyle said.
 
American immediately took a timeout and nothing materialized offensively from them afterwards. As the horn sounded the Tigers rejoiced and celebrated on the field.
 
"I remember everyone stormed the field after the game and it was a big dog pile sort of deal. The other team they were just walking off," Boyle said.
 
Towson's first program win over a ranked opponent was memorable as it was also the first win of the season for that team. A win that would give the team a confidence boost going forward.
 
"I think it was really great for the program to show we have a good team and we can go up against really good teams and do well and win," Branco said.
 
Both ends of the field showed up for the Black and Gold that day in September. Were it not for the defense blocking and defending shots, Boyle with seven saves in the goal, and the offense coming together for corners and well-executed goals, this win would not have been possible.
 
"This game was unforgettable, it was so fun," Mattingly recalled.