NORFOLK, Va. – Junior midfielder Christina Merchant (Midlothian, Va./Collegiate) scored the game-winner 12:03 into an extra session to lead the Washington and Lee field hockey team to a 3-2 overtime victory over Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon at Marlins Field.

The Generals opened the scoring when sophomore midfielder Alex Caritis (Pittsburg, Pa./Shady Side Academy) found sophomore forward Sallie Armstrong (Houston, Texas/St. John's School), who slipped a shot past senior goalkeeper Megan Koster (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) with 3:06 remaining in the first half.

The Marlins made their way onto the scoreboard when senior midfielder Katie Melzac (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) scored off of an assist from sophomore defender Whitney King (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) at the 43:49 mark. Melzac scored again off of assists from King and senior defender Stacee Nicholas (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) at 60:53, giving VWC a 2-1 lead. Senior midfielder Kendall Korte (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox) then tied the game at 2-2 with an unassisted goal at the 63:30 mark, and Merchant then tallied the game-winner off of an assist from sophomore forward Stephanie Mansey (Mendham, N.J./Randolph) to give the Blue and White the victory.

Senior Tara Rubenstein (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr) played the entire contest for W&L (10-4, 5-1) and registered six saves. Koster also played the duration of the contest and stopped nine shots for VWC (3-12, 2-5).

The Generals return to action on Sunday as they take on Christopher Newport at 1:00 pm.

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Scoring Summary
W&L – Sallie Armstrong (Alex Caritis) – 31:54
VWC – Katie Melzac (unassisted) – 43:49
VWC – Katie Melzac (Whitney King, Stacee Nicholas) – 60:53
W&L – Kendall Korte (unassisted) – 63:30
W&L – Christina Merchant (Stephanie Mansey) – 82:03

Goalkeepers
Tara Rubenstein (W&L) - 82:03, 6 saves, 2 GA
Megan Koster (VWC) – 82:03, 9 saves, 3 GA

Team Stats
W&L - 22 shots, 6 corners, 6 saves, 0 cards
VWC - 16 shots, 11 corners, 9 saves, 0 cards