ORONO, Maine – What do you do when your only goalkeeper is out with an injury, and you have to play a key conference game more than 3,000 miles from home?
 
Cal field hockey's answer: rally.
 
Despite playing without a "true" goalie, the Golden Bears came together to defeat America East rival Maine, 3-1,  Sunday morning at UMaine Field Hockey Complex in Orono, Maine.
 
"We had to reach in and look each other in the eye and really believe in each other. We were willing to go all in," said head coach Shellie Onstead. "I'm so proud of them. They took it to heart."
 
Goalkeeper Kori Griswold, who started all 11 games prior to Sunday's contest, was unable to play after sustaining an injury in Saturday's game against Vermont. Freshman keeper Danielle Mentink, the next natural fit in the cage, was home in Berkeley with an injury of her own, leaving no "traditional" goalkeepers on the travel roster.
 
Enter fifth-year senior Lexi Collins.
 
Collins was among a handful of Bears who volunteered to step into the cage in Griswold's absence, regardless of the fact that she'd never played goalie before.
 
"We always say you never know when you're going to need to step up," Onstead said. "I knew Lexi is the kind of kid that will do whatever she's asked to and is pretty darn coachable."
 
After a quick trip to Walmart to buy some appropriately-fitting goalie gear, Onstead and assistant coaches Austin Pile and Malachi Mahan conducted a goalkeeping clinic for Collins in their hotel on Saturday evening.
 
Collins didn't actually start the game against Maine. Part of that decision was to try to keep Maine's players off-balance as Cal tried to gain an advantage out of the confusion. Instead, the team played with a kicking back to help create more offensive firepower.
 
Maine scored on a breakaway at 6:15 in the first half, but the Bears quickly evened things up with Emily Catan's first career goal. Catan grabbed a rebound from Nicole Henriksson to make it a 1-1 contest at 12:28.
 
Unable to capitalize on the lack of an opposing goalie, the Black Bears used their timeout early to reset their gameplan. That's when Onstead sent Collins in. "Make one save, and your teammates will carry you the rest of the way," Onstead told her.
 
Wearing Griswold's No. 33 jersey and some makeshift goalie gear, Collins stepped into the cage. She didn't make one save. She made three.
 
Though Onstead only planned to use Collins for a few minutes, clutching the green sub jersey in her hand in case the team needed to make a quick swap. Instead, Collins played the remainder of the game.
 
With Cal's defense in sync despite the new face in goal, Cal's coaching staff didn't even feel the need to make any defensive subs.  The five-player backfield made up of Keats Iwanaga, Monica Marrazzo, Femke Delissen, Mara Gutierrez and Kyra Kent played every minute. The team gave up just three corners, and successfully defended against all three.

"We just didn't want to break up their great vibe," Onstead said. "If it's not broke, don't fix it."

The offense came through, too.
 
Katrina Carter grabbed a deflection in the air in the 50th minute, sending it into the goal to break the 1-1 stalemate.
 
In the 63rd minute, Iwanaga successfully converted a penalty stroke to give Cal the 3-1 lead. It was her second penalty stroke goal of the season.
 
"After that, we were over the hill and gunning for home," Onstead said.
 
Although Cal has struggled to put together two complete halves this season, the team held on, finishing the day with a 13-10 advantage in shots and 5-3 lead in penalty corners. Collins notched 45:33 minutes as a keeper and her first win in goal.
 
"We had to find a way to solve it and everybody played great," Onstead said. "I think this can be a season-defining moment. We never let up and I've been looking for that all the year."
 
GOLDEN BEAR GOALS
12:28 – Emily Catan (assisted by Nicole Henriksson)
Catan says: Mel sent the ball across the cage at the goalie. Nicole pushed the rebound past her and I finished it at back post.
 
49:58 – Katrina Carter (unassisted)
Carter says: Keats hit the ball across for a tip to Nicole. It came off the goalie in the air, and I hit it from the air into the goal.
 
62:32 – Keats Iwanaga (penalty stroke)
 
MAINE'S GOAL
6:15 – Danielle Aviani (unassisted)
 
NEXT UP
Cal returns to the Bay to face America East West Division opponent Pacific on Friday, Oct. 21 at 3 p.m. in Stockton, Calif.