WEST CHESTER, PA –
Veerle Hesman (The Netherlands) broke a 2-all tie in the 52nd minute to lead fifth-ranked West Chester to a 3-2 victory over seventh-ranked Mansfield on a damp, humid evening under the lights at Vonnie Gros Field Wednesday.
West Chester (5-2) got back in the win column thanks to Hersman's game-winning tally while Mansfield (3-4) dropped its second straight contest on the turf at Vonnie Gros. The Mountaineers fell to Newberry College last Friday afternoon in a neutral site non-conference match.
Ella Shockley (Delmar, Del./Delmar) intercepted a clearing attempt from Mansfield's defense 15 yards inside the midfield stripe right in front of the home bench and hit Hersman with a perfect pass down the middle. Hersman dribbled into the circle and fired a shot past Mansfield goalkeeper Lydia Miller to put the hosts on top, 3-2.
Gianna Funari (Voorhees, N.J./Voorhees) opened the scoring two minutes into the contest with a blast off a penalty corner for her first of the season. Kaylie Ranere evened things up near the end of the first quarter when she knocked home a rebound of a shot from teammate Melanie Esh on the right post.
Nina Scott (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford) restored the Golden Rams' lead when she batted in a ball out of the air into the back of the cage off a shot from teammate
Sophia Brown (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara). Brown and Scott also assisted on Funari's goal early in the first.
Mansfield's Jenna Duke tied the game at 2-2 right after halftime converting a penalty corner. Teammate Ella du Plessis fed Duke across the top of the circle for the equalizer.
West Chester held an 11-7 advantage on shots, but Mansfield had a slight edge on corners, 7-3.
West Chester goalkeeper
Audra Szymborski (Furlong, Pa./Central Bucks East) made four saves to pick up her fifth win of the season. Miller made seven saves for the Mountaineers.
West Chester returns to the pitch at Vonnie Gros Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. for its first conference tilt of the year against No. 3 East Stroudsburg.
