Box Score 

WAYNE, N.J. – Junior Christina Ayusa's (Runnemede, N.J./Triton) blast 25 seconds into the second overtime period gave the William Paterson field hockey team (6-2) a 4-3 victory against visiting Eastern (4-4) in a see-saw battle Sept. 23 at Wightman Stadium.

Ayusa's game winner came almost immediately after the opening whistle of the second extra session, following a ball played up-field by senior Tina Londino (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City). The goal also marked the second time this year that Ayusa provided the deciding goal of a William Paterson overtime victory.

The Pioneers came out aggressive from the opening whistle, pushing the ball downfield on the counter-attack to create early opportunities. Senior Meghan Hall (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Twp.) staked William Paterson to an eighth-minute 1-0 lead when she buried a pass from across the circle to the left post. Ayusa made it a 2-0 score 11 minutes later when she finished a loose ball in front of the cage, and Hall tacked on her second goal of the night, and 10th of the season, when she slid a penalty stroke to the left of diving Eastern goalkeeper Laura Ressler for a 3-0 score with 13:22 remaining in the first half.

That score stood up until 10 minutes into the second half, when Christin Haas cleaned up a Kimberly Campbell pass in front of the cage. Campbell then cut the advantage to one five minutes later, converting a Carrie Kline assist off a broken corner play for a 3-2 score.

Campbell nearly tied the game with less than nine minutes remaining in the second half, forcing a turnover in the midfield and generating a 1v1 chance on goal, but Pioneer goalie Christina Auger (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) snuffed out the breakaway. Sophomore Jennie Hara (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.) also helped keep the Eagles off the scoreboard with a defensive save late in the second period.

With time winding down, Kristin Brownett began an Eastern penalty corner from the end line and alertly came back to the near post, where she was able to finish off a Lindsay Moyer pass and knot the score at 3-3 with 2:06 to play in regulation.

Auger made five saves for William Paterson in goal. Ressler had one first-half save for Eastern. Kelly Hermann assumed the goaltending duties at halftime, and made one save during the final 50:25.

William Paterson will next play Friday, Sept. 26, at No. 3 The College of New Jersey at 7:30 p.m.