EAST STROUSBURG, Pa. - The No. 9 Mansfield Mountaineer field hockey team (6-4, 1-1 PSAC) traveled to No. 3 East Stroudsburg (9-2, 1-1 PSAC) for a nationally ranked Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) contest on Sat. (Oct. 5) afternoon, with the Warriors coming out on top, 2-1.

To begin the afternoon, ESU sent two early shots on their home turf but found no success to take an early lead.

With their first penalty corner, Mansfield gave the Warriors a scare, accruing three shots on goal during that attack, but the host stood strong with three saves to end the first quarter.

The nationally ranked contest began quiet in the second quarter. ESU shut down the Mountaineer offense and earned two penalty corners in the minutes, but August Lewis picked up a crucial save to end the half with the two top ten teams deadlocked at 0-0.

In the third quarter, the Mounties earned two chances on penalty corners, but the Warriors found the back of the cage first, sending a blast off a penalty corner to earn the 1-0 lead as the nationally ranked game started to create opportunities.

With a player advantage, ESU fired off another shot with another penalty corner chance, but Lewis made the save to keep the one limit deficit heading into the final quarter.

Just under five minutes remaining in the contest, Mansfield looked to even the scoring on a penalty corner, but the host turned the missed opportunity into a breakaway, leading to the insurance goal and silence the Mountaineers chances of a comeback.

In a final effort, the Mountaineers drew three penalty corners in the final minute, leading to a Kenedy Stroup goal with an assist by Ella Du Plessis to end the conference clash, with the Warriors defending their home turf, 2-1.

For Mansfield, the team matched the Warriors through the stat sheet, with both holding five shots on goal and the Mounties edging them out in penalty corners, 7-6.

UP NEXT: 
For their last nonconference game of the season, the Mountaineers face Roberts Wesleyan on Wednesday, October 9. This contest starts at Karl Van Norman Field at 4 p.m.