BOX SCORE

Center Valley, PA (October 20, 2010) – An amazing effort by both teams on Wednesday afternoon ended with Manhattanville College scoring with just five seconds left on the clock in double overtime to defeat the DeSales University field hockey team, 4-3, in Freedom Conference action.

This game had it all including comebacks by both teams, gutsy efforts by players from both teams, point blank saves from both goalies, and numerous on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments. In the end, DeSales (7-9, 1-4 Freedom) was the unlucky team walking away with its heads down despite out-shooting Manhattanville (8-8, 2-3 Freedom), 19-12, for the game and dominating both overtime periods with an 8-3 shot advantage.

The Valiants goalkeeper, Melissa Grant, single-handedly kept MC in the game on at least four occasions throughout the two overtime periods saving a minimum of four point-blank shots after the DSU offense had beaten the last line of defense for the Valiants.

Manhattanville started out strong opening a 2-0 lead thru the first 15 minutes before DeSales responded. Freshman Karissa Hunsicker (Whitehall, PA/William Allen) pulled DSU within one at the 21:30 mark on an assist from senior Jamie Matthews (Gilbertsville, PA/Boyertown). That 2-1 score stood into halftime as both teams regrouped.

In the second half DeSales dominated at the start scoring the tying goal 9:26 into the half when senior Kelsey Strowhouer (Wilmington, DE/Brandywine) volleyed home a pass across the goal mouth by Hunsicker. Just 1:09 later Matthews tallied her seventh goal of the season on a long pass from freshman Carly Kunkel (Fleetwood, PA/Oley Valley) as Matthews fired a diagonal shot into the far corner past the Valiant keeper.

MVille tied the game at the 54:34 mark as the two teams battled back and forth over the final 15+ minutes before sending the contest into overtime.

In the first OT, both teams had two shots with the best scoring chance coming off the stick of Matthews who broke free mid-way thru the half for a 1-v-1 with the goalkeeper but her shot caught the left pad and was sent out of the circle.

In the second OT, Strowhouer had two point blank chances, one which caromed off the right pad and the other saved by the glove. With about 17 seconds left, an attempted long clear was stopped by Jen Ascencio. She alertly sent a long pass over the top of the DSU defense as Megan Greene took the ball, dribbled into the circle, and fired a shot that narrowly snuck thru the goalkeeper's pads and into the cage with just five seconds left giving the visitor's a dramatic 4-3 win.

Sophomore Victoria DelToro (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) made five saves in goal, while Grant finished with 10 for the Valiants. The Bulldogs return to action this Saturday in their final home game of the season vs. FDU-Florham beginning at 1:00 pm.