INDIANA, Pa. – A goal from junior
Liz Gagliano (Lancaster, Pa./Cocalico) with just over three minutes left in double-overtime propelled the IUP field hockey team to a 3-2 victory over West Chester in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon at George P. Miller Stadium.
With the win the Crimson Hawks improve to 5-4 overall and 1-2 league mark. Meanwhile, the 10th-ranked Golden Rams falls to 5-5 behind a 2-1 mark in PSAC play.
West Chester struck quickly as Rachal Toppi scored just 1:13 into the game off a one-on-one down the left flank from six yards out. IUP nearly tied the game after a penalty corner from
Amber Bailey (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) when a shot from
Ericka Griffith (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) was blocked. Griffith then had another shot off a penalty corner blocked at the 11:40-mark. Senior goalkeeper
Alyssa Lerda (Wexford, Pa./Pine-Richland) kept it 1-0 after a save in the 14th minute. The Crimson Hawks scored the equalizer just before halftime as
Madelyn Mullen (Chester Springs, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) found the back of the cage from 11 yards out at the 31:47-mark.
IUP controlled play in much of the second half as the Crimson Hawks outshot the Golden Rams by a 10-3 margin. Senior
Haley Fidler (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood) nearly gave IUP the lead as her shot off a penalty corner was saved in the 55th minute. West Chester took a 2-1 lead with just under 10 minutes remaining in regulation as Marnie Kusakavitch scored off a deflection. Bailey then forced overtime as she deflected in a shot from
Bryn Nelson (New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot) at the 66:12-mark for her second goal of the season.
Lerda made two key saves in the first overtime, both off of penalty corners in the 75th and 77th minutes. IUP outshot West Chester 6-1 in the second overtime. Mullen had her shot saved in the 79th minute.
Minutes later, sophomore
Selena West (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) had two chances as she had one shot saved and another miss wide of the net. Gagliano then scored her first goal of the season at the 86:48-mark as she found the back of the cage after two straight rebounds in front of West Chester goalkeeper Sarah Krause.
Lerda earned the win after making five saves in nearly 90 minutes of action while Krause made 10 saves in the loss.
The Crimson Hawks outshot the Golden Rams by a 21-13 margin and held a 19-9 edge in penalty corners.
IUP continues PSAC play when it hosts Seton Hill on Tuesday, October 4 at 7 p.m.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP field hockey on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPfieldhockey.
