MANSFIELD, Pa. – The IUP women's field hockey team extended its winning streak to three games with a 2-1 victory at Mansfield on Tuesday afternoon at Karl Van Norman Field in its final non-conference game of the season.
With the win, the Crimson Hawks improve to 4-2 while Mansfield falls to 1-5.
Mansfield jumped out to a quick lead as Christie Buyer scored off a penalty corner from a pass at the top of the circle at the 2:09-mark. IUP answered just over two minutes later when
Selena West (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) deflected in a shot from 10-yards out at 4:27 of the first half. The Crimson Hawks nearly took the lead on a shot from
Madelyn Mullen (Chester Springs, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) off a penalty corner in the 12th minute.
IUP had multiple chances to take the lead just over midway through the first half as two shots from
Kimberly Kelly (Coatesville, Pa./Bishop Shanahan ) were blocked and went wide, as well as a shot from
Ericka Griffith (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) that was blocked.
In the second half, IUP wasted no time in trying to take the lead. Over a five-minute stretch early in the half the Crimson Hawks peppered the Mountaineers with seven shots. Mullen, West, and
Olivia Young (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) each tallied two shots while
Ericka Griffith (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) recorded a shot as well during that stretch. Mansfield goalkeeper Laura Lawson stood tall as she saved each of the seven shots during the stretch.
Sophomore
Matti Reightler (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) scored the game-winning goal at the 59:26-mark with her first goal of the season as she scored from five-yards out off a deflection.
Brianna Lubarsky (Easton, Pa./Easton ) was credited with the assist.
Crimson Hawk goalkeeper
Alyssa Lerda (Wexford, Pa./Pine-Richland) earned the win after making three saves while playing all 70-minutes. Lawson made 16 saves in the losing effort. IUP outshot Mansfield by a 32-8 margin, including 20-4 edge in shots on goal. It marked the most shots in a single game for IUP since the Crimson Hawks recorded 43 shots against Newberry on Sept. 7, 2013.
IUP begins PSAC play when it travels to No. 4 Millersville on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 12 p.m.
