INDIANA, Pa. - The Mercyhurst field hockey team took a 1-0 lead in the opening minute of play, but were unable to hold on as the Crimson Hawks of Indiana University of Pennsylvania scored the next two goals including the game-winner with seven seconds left in the first overtime to take the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference by a 2-1 final on Wednesday evening.
The Lakers got on the board just 42-seconds in as
Alexis Skibitsky picked up the ball at midfield and carried into the circle firing a shot out of the reach of Lexi Ciano for the 1-0 edge. Lizzi Clemmer looked to level things at the 6:09 mark, but her attempt rolled wide of the cage patrolled by
Gabriella Amico who was making her first start of the season. Those would be the only chances of the frame as the first ended 1-1.
IUP drew even at 1-1 with 5:16 gone in the second thanks to Georgiana Chiavacci setting up Brianna Lubarsky at the left post for the tap-in. Mercyhurst continued to struggle gaining the offensive zone as they did not record another shot the remainder of the half. Amico posted her first save of the match when she denied Chiavacci with 1:25 left in the frame. The Crimson Hawks outshot the Lakers 3-1 through the opening 30 minutes.
After a green card was shown to
Abby D'Amato with 1:12 elapsed in the third the home team got one chance while a man-up, however after a penalty corner played by Kimberly Kelly the shot from Clemmer was swatted away by Amico. Once the teams returned to even strength the Lakers had a chance at the lead unfortunately the
Jillian Blas shot was canceled out by the defense. IUP had the final two attempts of the third both coming off the stick of Blaise Cugini, but neither of them tested Amico.
It would take until the eleven minute mark of the fourth before a shot was recorded when Clemmer was blocked down by the visiting defense. Just 1:37 later Blas appeared to give Mercyhurst the advantage when her shot appeared to beat Ciano in net, but Madison Macharsky was able to get her stick to the ball to sweep it off the line. Then, after a penalty corner taken by
Mia D'Amato the ball found
Clare Ahern for a blast however she too had her chance blocked by the defense. to send the game to overtime.
IUP recorded the first four shots of the extra period as Clemmer forced a save out of Amico, Chiavacci had her attempt knocked off the line by Ahern, and then both Clemmer and Kelly had attempts blocked all within the first five minutes. The Lakers went for the winner with 6:15 gone when
Alexis Lovewell gained possession in the circle and had her shot saved by Ciano. Amico would make two more saves on Chiavacci and Kelly to give Mercyhurst a chance to find a winner.
Abby D'Amato tried to pick up that winner with 1:20 left, but another visiting shot would be block by the defense. That resulted in the ball going to the other end of the field where Clemmer found Cugini who took one touch and knocked it past Amico for the 2-1 winner with just seven-seconds left in the first overtime.
Mercyhurst was outshot 15-6 (8-3 on goal). IUP also held a slim 6-4 edge in penalty corners.
The Lakers return to action on Saturday, November 2nd when they travel to Bloomsburg University to face the Huskies at noon.
