MANSFIELD, Pa. – Junior Lexie Palluconi (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) recorded her first career hat-trick in leading the IUP women's soccer team to a 3-1 win over Mansfield in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon.

With the win the Crimson Hawks improve to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in PSAC play. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers fall to 0-3 overall behind an 0-3 mark in league play.

IUP went up 1-0 in the 33rd minute after a shot from McKenna Keffel was saved. Palluconi then beat the keeper to the left off the deflection. Just one minute later, Palluconi capped a fast-break when she deflected a shot over the keeper to make it 2-0. It marked her third career multi-goal game and first since Sept. 23, 2015. Senior goalkeeper Jessica Printz (Fairfax, Va./WT Woodson) made three saves in the first half as the Crimson Hawks took a 2-0 halftime lead.

Mansfield cut the lead to 2-1 in the 47th minute after Danielle Lentz put a shot under the hands of Printz. The Mountaineers nearly tied the game in the 50th minute off a corner kick when a header from Nicole Wynne was blocked.

IUP maintained its 2-1 lead until the 86th minute when Palluconi scored from 15 yards out to tally a hat-trick. She now has five goals on the season. Printz made eight saves while playing all 90 minutes in earning the win.

IUP out-shot Mansfield 25-18 while also holding a six to four edge in corner kicks.

The Crimson Hawks continue PSAC play when they travel to Erie to square off against Gannon on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m.

For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's soccer on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPsoccer.