FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Taryn Schawillie's Hat-trick and Ashley Bronston's Late Goal lift Mansfield Past Determined Slippery Rock.

PHOTO GALLERY

BOX SCORE

MANSFIELD – The Mountaineer field hockey team, led by Taryn Schawillie's hat-trick, holds off a determined Slippery Rock squad in a 5-4 decision in PSAC West play today at Spaulding Field. Ashley Bronston's goal in the 67th minute of play broke a 4-4 tie to put Mansfield ahead for the win.

In the beginning moments of the game, it seemed that a rain drenched Spaulding Field would result in a low scoring match until Mansfield's Taryn Schawillie netted two goals within in 5 minutes. Schawillie's first goal came off an assist from Sophomre Danielle Hackenburg in the 27th minute. Schawillie quickly followed with another goal that she slapped in past the Slippery Rock keeper off an assist from Kristin Grunza in the 32 minute.

With the first half winding down, Mansfield Junior Jessie Wolski kept The Rock off the board with a defensive save. Mansfield's impressive defense made sure the Mounties would go into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

Mansfield found the back of the net quickly in the second half when Kristyn Grunza put a rebounded ball past the keeper for her 7th goal on the season. Grunza's goal gave the Mounties a 3-0 advantage over The Rock.

It looked like Mansfield would dominate the game until Slippery Rock's Brittany Schultz put her team on the board when she received a rebound off a defender and put it in goal. This cut The Rock's deficit to 2 goals. In the 59th minute of play, Slippery Rock struck again when Gabriel Malichack put the ball past a diving Jaime Twist.

Mansfield quickly answered back when Taryn Schawillie scored a goal off of a pass from Junior Jillian Richards. This gave Schawillie her first hat-trick of her career and Mansfield a 4-2 lead.

The Rock weren't finished though. Two straight goals from Kaitlin McGinnis in the 63rd and 65th minutes tied the game up and it looked like overtime was in sight.

However, Mansfield Freshman Ashley Bronston took it upon herself to make sure there would be no overtime this day. In the 67th minute, Bronston scored her first career goal and put the Mounties ahead for a 5-4 lead. The Mansfield defenders were on cue in the final minutes, not allowing a Slippery Rock shot. The Mounties held on for a 5-4 victory.

Today's win gives Mansfield a 2-0 record in PSAC West play and a record of 3-5 overall. Slippery Rock falls to 1-8 on the season and is still looking for its first conference victory.

Mountaineer field hockey will be back in action this Monday at Spaulding field when they face Shippensburg in a make-up game. The game is scheduled for 4:00pm.