FARMVILLE, Va. – It was a heartbreaker on Sunday afternoon for Longwood field hockey against Towson. The Lancers (2-10) created chances, but it was Towson (5-6) that narrowly edged Longwood 3-2 in overtime on a career day by Samantha Aljets.
 
The fifth-year senior scored a game-tying goal for Towson with 1:28 to play, and then she deflected in the game winner less than two minutes into overtime.
 
SCORING:
 
               1             2             3             4             OT          FINAL
TU          0             0             0             2             1             3
LWU      1             1             0             0             0             2
 
5:18 | LWU—Ireland McDermott (2), assist Zoe Tierney
16:14 | LWU—Kylie Levine (1), assist Zoe Tierney
49:04 | TU—Lexi Bove (1)
58:26 | TU—Samantha Aljets (1)
61:12 | TU—Samantha Aljets (2), assist Megan Popp
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
Longwood dominated the first 30 minutes and created chance after chance.
 
The Lancers outshot Towson 7-2 in the opening half, including 4-0 in the first quarter.
 
The chances added up, and Longwood struck first on a penalty corner a tick more than five minutes in. Zoe Tierney played it to Ireland McDermott, and McDermott's shot ricocheted off a Towson stick into the back of the cage for an early 1-0 lead.
 
The Lancers kept knocking on the door and added to it early in the second period. On another corner, Tierney played it across to Levine on the back post, and Levine banged it home to make it 2-0.
 
After halftime though, Towson found new life, and the Tigers cut the lead to one early in the fourth quarter. Lexi Bove scored her first collegiate goal off a rebound.
 
Then Aljets took an errant pass and ripped it home with 1:28 to go to force overtime.
 
In the overtime period, the Lancers had a golden opportunity on a penalty corner less than 20 seconds in, but the ball escaped away before the team could get a shot off.
 
Towson went down the field and created a corner of their own Aljets lurked around the goal to deflect home a ball that popped up off Megan Popp's stick to win the game.

WHAT THEY SAID:

"The outcome didn't reflect the way we played today," said Longwood Head Coach Miranda Rigg. "I'm really proud of their fight and the way we played team hockey. This group has it in them to be great, and they continue to grow even through adversity."
 
UP NEXT:
 
Longwood heads out to take on James Madison University on Friday night. First push is set for 5 p.m., and the match will air on ESPN+.
 
#GoWood #HorsePower