MANSFIELD, Pa. - The No. 10 Mansfield Mountaineer field hockey team (4-3) held strong to double overtime with No. 5 West Chester (6-2) until the Golden Rams snuck a late winner in the second overtime to take the nonconference battle, 1-0.

WCU stormed out with the early momentum, posting the first three shots on goal, but all attempts were stuffed by August Lewis. In the final four minutes of the quarter, four penalty corners and four shots were littered by the Golden Rams offense, but the Mountaineer trio of Sophia Vadnais, Regan Fiorito, and Olivia Kline allowed no shots into the cage.

A quiet quarter gave the Golden Rams just two penalty corners and three shots. Mansfield earned their first penalty corner under two minutes remaining but could not capitalize as the two conference members headed to a 0-0 score at halftime.

Both teams had two shots each in the second half and WCU holding the 3-1 advantage in penalty corners.

In the first minute of the second half, Amanda Duke was credited with the first shot for the Mounties off a penalty corner with no luck to grab the lead. Jenna Duke slapped the other shot with seven minutes remaining in the final quarter.

West Chester grabbed two shots in the final minutes and two penalty corners to seal the deal, but the Mountaineer defense was able to hold their ground on Karl Van Norman Field.

Eight seconds before the end of regulation, a Golden Ram earned a yellow card to give the Mansfield group a man up advantage heading into overtime.

To begin the seven-on-seven portion, WCU rushed the cage quick, sending a shot in the first minute with no success.

Two shots from J. Duke and Ella Du Plessis scared the opponent, but the game remained deadlocked after the first overtime.

The referees were not scared to card players, with four green cards and three yellow cards allotted in the contest, including two crucial yellow cards given to Du Plessis and A. Duke in the first overtime.

With four seconds in the first overtime, a one-on-one formed for Lewis to rush out of her spot and trust her instinct to keep the Mounties chances alive, sending it to another overtime with one of her eight saves on the day.

Pressure from West Chester and the man advantage forced two shots, including a rebound for the Golden Rams to find the cage and earn the 1-0 victory.

UP NEXT:  
The Mounties open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action on Saturday, September 28 when the Bobcats of Frostburg State arrive to Karl Van Norman Field for their first ever conference game, starting at 1 p.m.