FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Field Hockey team dropped a close 3-2 overtime decision to Wingate in their home opener on Sunday afternoon.
 
WU started the game on the front foot, earning an early corner that was repelled, however they swiftly came back with Laela Brown crossing to Lauren Montgomery for a 1-0 lead within three minutes. FSU was able to recover and make their way up the other end of the field, as senior Paige Leitzel had a shot saved by Svenja Brandt while sophomore Rachel Young put an effort wide.
 
Their momentum was quickly swept away as Grace Gerner broke through the back line and finished for a 2-0 Wingate advantage. Seeking a way back into the game, Leitzel placed a shot wide while sophomore Sofia Boyle drew another save as the clock ticked under five minutes. Finally, with less than a minute on the board, the Bobcats were awarded a penalty stroke, which Leitzel was able to put away to get within 2-1 at the end of the first.
 
Frostburg controlled the first five minutes of the second frame, as Leitzel had an effort blocked while freshman Caroline Earnshaw was denied by Brandt. Neither side was able to generate much for the remaining 10 minutes, as WU had a shot blocked off a corner to lead by a goal at the half.
 
A minute into the third quarter, Earnshaw thought she had tied the game up, but after getting the ball past Brandt, it was cleared off the line by Makenna West to keep her team in the lead. Leitzel and junior Mikyla Rineer put efforts wide of the mark as FSU continued to search for an equalizer. At the other end, senior Zoe Barnes was forced into three saves to keep the deficit at one. Junior Emma Price had a pair of chances midway through the frame, but Brandt stopped one shot while another was blocked as the Bulldogs held on headed to the fourth.
 
Wingate held much of the possession for the opening eight minutes of the final period, earning four corners but only producing one shot that went wide. With just under four minutes left in hopes of sending the game to overtime, a Bobcat corner was sent up top and passed over to Leitzel, who fired towards goal and found Rineer at the back post for a tap-in and a 2-2 game. Each side had chances to find a winner late on, but both goaltenders stood firm in getting the contest to extra time.
 
It took just 55 seconds for the Bulldogs to get possession on their side of the field and find Brown at midfield, as she carried the ball nearly 40 yards before eventually chipping over Barnes into the back of the cage to give her team the 3-2 win.
 
FSU outshot WU 16-10, with eight on target compared to seven for the visitors.
 
With the loss, Frostburg drops to 0-4 on the year, while Wingate improves to 2-1. The Bobcats head back on the road to play Shippensburg on Wednesday, September 17 at 3 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.