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FARMVILLE, Va. – Junior Leonie Verstraete drove home the game-winning goal in overtime to send Longwood past Villanova 2-1 in the season opener Friday afternoon at Elizabeth Burger Jackson Field.
 
After ending regulation in a 1-1 deadlock, the Lancers (1-0) walked off winners in the first overtime period thanks to Verstraete's 78th-minute strike that sent them to their season opener for the second straight year.
 
"It's indescribable," Verstraete said. "I was so happy. It's the best feeling in the world, so euphoric."
 
Verstraete's golden goal was set up by a pass from senior midfielder Maddie Kendrick, who beat her defender and dished to Verstraete at the top of the arc where the 5-7 forward fired a rocket to the lower left corner of the net.
 
"Our ability to keep the ball in the back was improved and that allowed us to get her on the ball as much as she did," Byers said of his junior forward. "She was clutch when it came down to it, and that's something we talked about as a group. We're super proud of her, but also super proud of how our midfield and defense worked."
 
The OT strike from the stick of Verstraete was her first of the young 2017 season after finishing second on the team in goals behind fellow forward Edel Nyland with 14, while leading the charge with seven assists.
 
Briana Greene, who had a monster preseason with five goals, notched her first official career goal to get the Lancers on the board and break a scoreless tie in the 40th-minute. Just as she worked on in the offseason, Greene split defenders before stepping into the circle and firing a rocket into the net.
 
"She put a lot of work into her skillset in the spring, and it shows," Byers said of his sophomore midfielder/defender. "She plays a very dynamic style – a very aggressive style – and is willing to take people on. She's certainly a good asset for us."
 
Greene's goal came on her only shot of the contest, making it count that much more.
 
The Wildcats were quick to answer as Allison Sayia took a pass from Emma McLaughlin and snuck it past Longwood's Katie Wyman to knot the score at 1-1 and set the stage for Verstraete's fireworks.
 
"Villanova is a strong side. They're a Big East team that's very competitive, and historically good team," Byers said. "We're really proud. We talk about being a team that could win in these situations."
 
Friday's walk-off thriller was the first OT win for the Lancers since a victory over Vermont in 2014, that one also ending in a 2-1 score in favor of Longwood.
 
As a team, the Lancers outshot Villanova 14-7 with an 11-3 advantage in shots on goal. Leading the onslaught for Longwood was Verstraete with six shots, five on goal, followed by two shot-games from Maddie Kendrick and Cameryn McLaurine.
 
Leading the charge for Villanova was Francesca Bello who fired away three shots, two coming on goal. Just as the case was for Greene, Sayia's lone shot led to her first goal of the season.
 
Friday's win pushes the series lead to 2-0 in favor of Longwood in the Division I-era, dating back to the 2007 season. Longwood was also victorious over the Wildcats in 2016 as they snuck away with a 4-3 thriller on the road.
 
Wyman got the start in goal Friday and picked up her first win of the season to improve her career record to 5-2 in 11 appearances. Wyman collected two saves over the 78 minutes of action as she faced just three shots on goal from the Wildcats.
 
On the other end, Villanova's Erika Miller's nine-save effort wasn't enough to stop the Lancer attack from finding the back of the net twice to come out victorious. Miller faced 14 shots on the afternoon with 11 coming after halftime and five in the decisive overtime period.
 
The Lancers hit the road for their first contest away from the friendly confines of Elizabeth Burger Jackson Field to tangle with Towson before returning home for a Friday night showdown with Commonwealth rival VCU. The contest versus the Rams will also be the first of three Longwood field hockey broadcasts on the Big South Network as Darius Thigpen, the voice of the Lancers, and Longwood sophomore T.J. Wengert will be on the call.
 
Game time with the Tigers of Towson is set for 5 p.m. and will be live-streamed.
 
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