Aug. 25, 2007

GALLERY

Erie, Pa. - With no time remaining in overtime, Mansfield's Breanne Tobin scored her second goal of the game, giving the No. 8 Mountaineers a 2-1 sudden death victory over Mercyhurst in the season opener at Tullio Field on Saturday.

Mercyhurst (0-1) fell behind 1-0 at the 29:24 mark on Tobin's first goal of the afternoon. The Lakers, however, knotted the contest at 1-1 when freshman Sara Wowkowych found Brittany Jeffords with 2:21 remaining in the first period. It was the first goal of Jefford's career, as well as the Wowkowych's first assist.

Mercyhurst's junior goalkeeper Jennifer Coleman, making the first start of her career, kept the game tied by stopping three shots in the first period and facing seven corner attempts by the Mountaineers (2-0). She continued her stellar play in the second half, blanking Mansfield through 35 minutes and making four saves.

Despite taking seven shots, including four on goal on the second half, the Lakers could not crack the scoring column, sending the game into overtime and marking the second-straight season that Mercyhurst's season opener needed the extra session.

In overtime, Coleman stopped three more shots, bringing her saves total to a career-high 10 on the day, but Mansfield goalkeeper Brianna DeLuca also made three saves, including stopping a shot from Courtney Monin 14 seconds into the period.

With just over three minutes to play, Mansfield had a one-on-one with Coleman, but Coleman stepped out and forced the shot to sail wide of the cage. Coleman made another save with two seconds left, but Mansfield earned a penalty corner with no time remaining on the clock, setting up Tobin's game winner.

The Lakers now travel to N.C. for games at Catawba on Sept. 1 and at Division I Davidson on Sept. 2.