IUP Downs Mansfield 3-1

MANSFIELD -- Lexie Palluconi recorded a hat-trick, including two goals in the first half, and IUP held off a determined Mansfield effort in the second half to down the Mountaineers 3-1 in a PSAC soccer match Saturday afternoon at the Soccer Field.

Palluconi scored her first goal off a deflected shot stopped by Mansfield goalie Rachel Fox in the 33rd minute putting the rebounded ball back past the diving keeper.

She scored again one minute later scoring off a fast break when the hard shot deflected off the keeper hands and into the net.

IUP held the 2-0 through halftime before Mansfield came out of the break on fire.

Senior Danielle Lentz stole the ball from a defender a little more than two minutes into the second half placing a shot under the goal keeper's gloves for her first goal of the season and cutting the lead to 2-1. It was the seventh goal of her career tying her with Anita Valerio (2004-07) for 9th on the all-time career goals list.

Mansfield had numerous scoring opportunities in the half including shots on goal by Delaney Meadows in the 55th minute. Eleni Gebbia, Abbey Korber and Lentz each had shots on goal in the 61st, 64th and 68th minute respectively.

Palluconi iced the win with her third goal of the game with just less than three minutes to play.

Each team had nine shots on goal with IUP goalie Jessica Printz credited with eight saves and Mansfield's Rachel Fox six.

Mansfield travels to Daemen College on Wednesday in the Mountaineers only non-conference match of the season.