BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The No. 10 Mansfield Mountaineers field hockey team (10-6, 4-4 PSAC) upset the No. 4 Bloomsburg Huskies (13-4, 4-4 PSAC) with a buzzer-beating finale as Alex Esterling capped off the game finisher and erupted the crowd to take down the Huskies in a thriller ending to claim the conference win, 4-3. 

The Mountaineers finished off the contest by scoring two goals in the final five minutes of the game after being down later in the final quarter. Esterling and Blaise Cugini scored the final two to shock the conference and silence the fans on the Huskies home turf.  

The first fifteen saw no action in the offensive onslaught, but the Mounties landed five penalty corners and four shots while not allowing any Bloomsburg bullying. 

A penalty stroke awarded to the Huskies pushed the first goal in for the home team, but a quick turnaround by the Mounties saw Ella Du Plessis score just two minutes later to tie it up 1-1. 

Thirteen seconds into the second half, Kenedy Stroup blasted down the field and sent a beautiful pass to Alex Esterling to take the 2-1 lead early into the third quarter. Bloom responded right away with a goal two minutes later as the game remained deadlocked at two.  

Scary moments and lost hope appeared after the Huskies delivered a strike to take the late lead with seven minutes remaining.  

Cugini delivered the game-tying goal with five minutes remaining and the Mountie faithful erupted as the stadium was ready for extra time as the sun was going down.

Esterling ended the afternoon with an upset finish as the Mounties were awarded a penalty corner with one second remaining. The ball found her stick and the rest was history as Mansfield upset the Huskies and took home the 4-3 thriller to strengthen their push for the postseason. 

The Mounties beat the Huskies on shots, 15-11, shots on goal, 9-6, and penalty corners, 10-8. 

Overall, the refs made their impact on the game, sending ten total cards, with the Mounties earning three green and one yellow, while the Huskies were given two green and four yellow. 

UP NEXT:  
The Mounties will finish off the 2023 regular season as the team travels to No. 9 Millersville on Saturday, October 28. This highly anticipated matchup will start at 1 p.m.