EASTON, Pa. – Following a shootout defeat on Friday evening to Providence, the Lafayette field hockey team found itself in another overtime battle on Sunday afternoon at Rappolt Field with Richmond. This time, though, junior Anna Steps connected with freshman Simone Hefting for the winner off a corner less than three minutes into the extra session to push the Leopards to a 2-1 victory.
 
"With overtime games, it's less of a preparation piece and more of a 'believing in ourselves' mentality," head coach Jennifer Stone said. "Richmond is a very good team and well-coached coming off a win at Lehigh on Friday night. We certainly had a gameplan and structure and it was a fight to the end for sure, but a lot of credit to our group for keeping their composure."
 
Lafayette lit the board first late in the second quarter as senior Jenn DeLongis deflected the shot from classmate Caroline Turnbull into the back of the cage for a 1-0 advantage. Richmond equalized at the end of the third as Steffie Bongers finished an assist from Olivia Frazier for a 1-1 score line.
 
Senior Sarah Park stepped up in the beginning of overtime, making three saves, including two on one corner opportunity to keep the Leopards in it. Then, with 7:01 on the clock, Steps and Hefting sealed it.
 
The win moves the Maroon and White to 2-4 on the season and drops Richmond to 3-3. Park finished with seven saves in the victory, while her counterpart, Frankie-Lynne Conklin, stopped just one shot in defeat.
 
"Since my sophomore year, I've been working for this moment just trying to get in the right mental space," Park said. Knowing that I didn't want to let the team down in a really tight game, I just tried to do anything I could to keep the ball out of the cage."
 
Richmond led the way in shots, 11-5, including three of the four in overtime, but Lafayette's lone extra-time shot found the back of the cage to win it. Corners finished at 5-3 in favor of the Spiders.
 
Next up for the Leopards is the start of Patriot League action on Saturday, hosting Holy Cross at Rappolt Field at 1 p.m.