Boxscore

PURCHASE, N.Y. – Senior Kirstin Betsill (Parkton, Md./Hereford) stood on her head in goal with 25 saves and sophomore Melissa Goncalves (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) led all players with six goals – including the game-winner in the second overtime – as the Manhattanville women's lacrosse team came back to stun Alvernia University, 15-14 (2OT), in a Middle Atlantic Conference thriller on Saturday afternoon at a cold and rainy GoValiants.com Field.

Betsill had a career game for Manhattanville in goal, easily surpassing her previous career high by making 25 saves, the most by any MAC netminder this season and the ninth most in school history (highest since 2004). The senior was tremendous in the first half, making 13 saves to allow the Valiants to gain an early lead, then followed up with nine saves in the second half and three in the overtime sessions to pull out the win.

Goncalves, meanwhile, had a great start and a great end to the game for the Valiants, playing a role in five first-half goals (three goals, two assists) and then scoring three of the team's final five goals. Her eight points tied her career high and led all players.

In a game that meant much to both teams in the race for the postseason, it was Manhattanville making a big comeback to keep its playoff hopes alive. The Valiants scored the final three goals of regulation to even the score after 60 minutes, then after the two teams played the first six-minute overtime even, came up with a sudden-victory goal in the second extra frame.

Manhattanville looked to be in control up by two (10-8) with 22:10 remaining, but Alvernia came back with five straight goals to take its biggest lead of the game at 13-10 with 8:27 left. But it was then that the Valiants stepped up their games both offensively and defensively, as two goals by Goncalves and one by senior Jen Ascencio (Monroe, N.Y./Millbrook School) combined to even the score with less than two minutes left.

Both teams had their chances to score before the end of regulation, but a shot by senior Emelda Ogweta (Portland, Maine/Kents Hill) was saved by Jennifer Czarnecki and Betsill then came up huge with a point-blank stop of Heather Coppola as time expired.

Betsill made another big save on Felicia Sippel to start overtime, and the Valiants came right back down the field for an Ogweta score that put the home team up by one. With 14 seconds remaining in the first three-minute session, Allison Bainbridge took a pass from Sippel and evened the score after three minutes.

Neither team scored after the teams switched ends, sending the game to sudden victory. After Manhattanville missed on its first possession, Sippel had a golden chance to win the game from the eight-meter line, but her shot was forced wide of the cage to keep the Valiants alive. Goncalves then made a great defensive play to intercept a pass from Sippel and regain possession, and soon after senior Darby Webber (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) made a beautiful entry pass to Goncalves for the game-winning score.

Besides Goncalves, Ascencio and freshman Casandra Honovich (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) also recorded three tallies each for the Valiants, while Webber also had three points on a goal and two assists. Sippel led Alvernia with five points on three goals and two assists, while Bainbridge and Sarah George added three goals each as well.

Alvernia recorded a 48-32 edge in shots on the afternoon, but Betsill made those 25 saves to nullify that advantage and keep the home team alive. Alvernia's keepers split time, as Victoria Kearn made five saves on 15 shots in the first 37:50 before Czarnecki came on for the final 36:07, making four saves on nine shots on goal.

Manhattanville (6-5, 5-4 MAC) will face its toughest test of the season on Tuesday, as the Valiants travel to IWLCA #1 College of New Jersey for a non-conference matchup starting at 7:30 p.m.