WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The No. 10 Mansfield Mountaineer field hockey team (4-1) traveled to No. 5 West Chester (4-1) for a nationally ranked non-conference game on Saturday afternoon that saw the Mountaineers and the Golden Rams put on a top ten thriller, but WCU used their home-field advantage to secure a 4-3 overtime victory. 

To start off the nationally ranked contest, Blaise Cugini sent the first goal of the game into the cage off a great Melanie Esh pass, only taking two minutes into the game to give an early lead to the Mounties.  

WCU tied the matchup, 1-1, after a late first quarter goal to even the score, heading into the second quarter.  

Not even three minutes passed in the second before the Golden Rams sent home another ball past the goalkeeper to take a 2-1 lead on their home turf. 

A WCU penalty awarded the Mounties a chance to tie and Saramae Radel stepped up to the penalty spot and blasted in the tying goal before halftime. 

After a quiet third quarter, the two teams battled it out in the final fifteen minutes, trying to secure another ranked victory on the season. 

With three minutes remaining, the Golden Rams were awarded a penalty stroke to retake the lead once again and start the excitement of the fans that that was the game-winning goal.  

Cugini gave one last effort in the final minutes of regulation, dribbling through the West Chester defense and receiving an assist from Kenedy Stroup to score with just 87 seconds left in the final quarter, giving the Mounties life as the top ten thriller headed to overtime. 

In overtime, West Chester started off two players down early, but after their return, they ended the nationally ranked contest with a breakaway goal to win the afternoon game, 4-3. 

On the day, offense was the name of the game as thirteen players saw their shots recorded on goal.  

UP NEXT:  
The No. 10 Mansfield field hockey team hosts two teams next weekend as part of Mansfield's Military Appreciation Weekend. Their first opponent will be Maryville on Friday, September 22nd at 4 p.m, in what will be the start of a four game homestand.