LEXINGTON, Va. – The W&L field hockey team scored two goals in the final 17 minutes to force overtime, where it needed just 2:08 to tally the game-winning goal and defeat Eastern Mennonite on Friday evening.

Eastern Mennonite (7-3, 2-1 ODAC) took a 1-0 lead at the 25:11 mark of the first half when Julie Denlinger notched her eighth goal of the season off a pass from Kristina Landis. EMU would go up 2-0 in the second half when Katie Cimini tallied her eighth marker at the 40:19 mark.

The Generals (3-5, 1-1) cut into the Royals' lead at 53:46 when senior forward Christina Merchant (Midlothian, Va./Collegiate) scored off a feed from senior defender Liz Garson (Richmond, Va./Collegiate) to make it 2-1 in favor of EMU. Less than five minutes later W&L tied the game at two, when Stephanie Mansey (Mendham, N.J./Randolph) put a ball past EMU keeper Becky Nolt following a pass from first-year forward Christina Benedetti (Derwood, Md./Holy Cross).

 In overtime, the Generals' fifth overtime game this season, junior forward Sallie Armstrong score her fifth goal of the season on sophomore Emily Mathews' (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr) fifth assist at 72:08 to make a winner of the Blue and White.

Junior goalkeeper Caroline Habliston (Alexandria, Va./St. Stephen's & St. Agnes) earned the win for the Generals, making three saves on the evening as W&L was outshot 13-9. Sophomore forward Jennie Norcini (Wayne, Pa./Episcopal) notched a defensive save for Washington and Lee.

W&L returns to action on Sunday when it hosts Mary Washington at 2:00 pm.

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Scoring Summary:
EMU – Julier Denlinger (Kristina Landis): 25:11
EMU – Kate Cimini (unassisted): 40:19
W&L – Christina Merchant (Liz Garson): 53:46
W&L – Stephanie Mansey (Christina Benedetti): 58:43
W&L – Sallie Armstrong (Emily Mathews): 72:08

Goalkeepers:
Caroline Habliston (W&L) – 72:08, 2 GA, 3 saves
Becky Nolt (EMU) – 72:08, 3 GA, 1 save

Team Stats:
W&L: 9 shots, 2 corners, 4 saves
EMU: 13 shots, 4 corners, 1 save