Box Score GENEVA, N.Y. – Junior Julia Esposito (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) scored with 46 remaining in regulation, and classmate Amanda DeChent (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) scored in the eighth minute of overtime as the Manhattanville field hockey team escaped the William Smith Classic with a 3-2 victory over the St. Lawrence Saints on Sunday afternoon.
 
The game began with eight combined penalty corners through the first 13 minutes of action, with six of the eight in favor of the Saints. St. Lawrence retained possession in the Manhattanville defensive zone and Kate Higgins was able to get the ball past junior Amy Hilton (Pittsburgh, Pa./Kents Hill (Maine)) to put the Saints up 1-0 at 13:07 in the first half.
 
Just under a minute later senior Melissa Goncalves (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) took a shot that was sent wide of the goal occupied by Saints' goalkeeper Brady Cooper. At 14:58 DeChent picked up her ninth goal of the season as she dribbled the ball into the circle and sent a hard shot into the goal to even up the game at one a piece.
 
The offensive pace slowed down for both sides through the next 16 minutes as only four shots were registered from both sides. In the closing minutes of the period St. Lawrence picked up a late tally to take a 2-1 lead into the halftime break.
 
After the brief stint on the sideline the game opened up as both Manhattanville and St. Lawrence exchanged a series of offensive attacks. As the game crossed into the 43rd minute the Valiants took control of the game that began with a shot from senior Kayla Meenan (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) at the 42:20 mark of the game. The first shot sparked a stint in which the Valiants outshot their opponents 10-1 through the next 27 minutes.
 
Manhattanville had one more shot in them during regulation as they tried to solve Cooper in goal, and it was Esposito to take the shot after receiving a pass from Goncalves who took the inbounded corner from freshman Rylee McGuire (Grantham, N.H./Lebanon). The ball was struck by Esposito and was redirected by a defender's stick in front of the net and into the goal with 46 seconds to go as the Valiants tied up the game at 2-2.
 
St. Lawrence was awarded an early penalty corner in the opening stages of overtime but was unable to pull the trigger on a shot. The Valiants regained possession and came down the field once again and both Meenan and DeChent took a series of shots that were denied by the Saints.
 
With time closing in the overtime session DeChent was open and flipped the ball up and into the upper left corner of the goal to give Manhattanville the thrilling 3-2 overtime victory.
 
In the game the Valiants finished by outshooting their opponents by an 22-12 margin, including 18-11 shots that were on target. Penalty corners were also in favor of Manhattanville at a 17-13 clip.
 
In goal Hilton earned the win to move to 4-2 on the season as she made nine saves including six in the first half. Suffering the loss was Cooper who allowed all three Valiant goals, despite making 14 saves on the afternoon.
 
Manhattanville (4-3) continue their long stint away from GoValiants.com Field in their next contest as they travel to Eastern Connecticut State for a date with the Warriors on September 19 at 7:00 p.m. St. Lawrence returns home this Friday when they open up conference play against Union at 4:00 p.m.