Box Score

ERIE, PA - Alicia Straining (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin)'s goal in the 56th minute proved to be the game-winner as the IUP field hockey team used a three-goal second half to come from behind and defeat Mercyhurst 4-2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action Saturday.

With rain streaming down for the majority of the afternoon, both offenses struggled to get rolling early in the sloppy playing conditions. Marissa Faso would finally break the scoreless tie at the 28:49 mark to give Mercyhurst a 1-0 lead, but the Crimson Hawks would draw even less than two minutes later when Brielle Mackey (Coopersburg/Southern Lehigh) found Anouk Sickman (Antwerp, Belgium/Lazac Cellepe) on a penalty corner to knot the game at 1-1 with just five minutes to play in the half.

The Lakers would regain the lead early in the second half when Meghan Smith received a penalty corner from Faso and deposited the goal at the 39:25 mark, but that would be last time Mercyhurst would hold an advantage.

Just five minutes later, Ashley Mosner (Newton, NJ/Newton) knocked a loose ball past the Lakers goalie to tie the game at 2-2 with just over 26 minutes to play in the game.

Straining would give the Crimson Hawks their first lead of the game in the 56th minute when she rebounded her own shot and fired second into the back of the cage, and Kate Bruce (Clarks Summit/Lackawanna Trail) would add an insurance goal at the 66:12 mark to preserve the win.

Brittany Varacallo (New Britain/Central Bucks South) played the entire game in goal for IUP and allowed just the two early goals. Jess Wess played all 70 minutes in the net for Mercyhurst and had six saves.

With the win, the Crimson Hawks improve to 7-2, 4-0 in the PSAC West. IUP returns home this Tuesday to host Seton Hill at Miller Stadium. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.