Box Score DALLAS, Pa. – The Manhattanville field hockey team needed overtime to earn their first Freedom Conference win of the season over the Misericordia Cougars by the score of 4-3 on Saturday afternoon at Mangelsdorf Field. The game-winning goal was scored by junior Amanda DeChent (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) just seven minutes into the overtime period.

Manhattanville got off to a slow start as the Cougars took three of the games first four shots through the first six minutes of action. The Valiants then took control of a stretch of their own as they took four penalty corners and a pair of shots through the next four minutes of play.

The Cougars took the next pair of shots that were stopped by junior goalkeeper Amy Hilton (Pittsburgh, Pa./Kents Hill (Maine)), then the Valiants regained possession of the ball. With control of the ball Manhattanville came back down the field as DeChent fed a ball to freshman Rylee McGuire (Grantham, N.H./Lebanon) who sent one past Haley Brandt to put the Valiants up 1-0.

Both sides registered a few more shots through the remainder of the half with the Valiants leading in shots by a 12-8 margin. They also led in terms of corners by an 11-8 differential.

The Valiants jumped out to a quick start in the second half as DeChent scored her first of the afternoon and 14th of the season at the 6:32 mark of the second half. Another six minutes later the Cougars put their first on the board to trim the lead in half at 2-1.

Just over a minute later Manhattanville regained their two-goal edge as senior Melissa Goncalves (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) scored on an assist credited to junior Julia Esposito (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) to give the Valiants a 3-1 lead at 48:23 into the contest.
 
Over the next 10 minutes of the game the Cougars came back and score two unanswered goals to tie the game at three. Misericordia registered two more shots over the final three minutes but were unable to score as the horn sounded to end regulation.
 
The Valiants stormed out of the gates to start overtime as Manhattanville picked up a pair of shots that were stopped by Brandt. The Cougars answered back with two shots of their own that were stopped by Hilton.
 
With 76:48 gone by in the contest Manhattanville was awarded a penalty corner that was sent into play by Esposito, after being stopped by Goncalves on the inbounds, she sent a pass over to DeChent, who then sent the ball home to give the Valiants to overtime winner.
 
In the game Manhattanville finished the 77 minute contest with 23 shots to the Cougars' 21, corners were also in favor of the Valiants at 20-14.
 
Amy Hilton (Pittsburgh, Pa./Kents Hill (Maine)) picked up the win while stopping seven shots on the afternoon to improve to 5-3 on the season. Suffering the loss was Brandt who registered 15 saves while allowing the four Manhattanville goals for the game.
 
Manhattanville (6-4, 1-1 Freedom) will play next when they host the Hartwick Hawks on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. with coverage of the game available on GoValiants.TV. Misericordia (2-8, 0-2 Freedom) will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they host Catholic University at 1:00 p.m.