Box Score

Villanova, Pa. - The Villanova field hockey team (0-1) fell, 2-1, in a heartbreaking fashion on Friday night as the Sacred Heart Pioneers (1-0) scored a game-winning goal in the final seconds of the first overtime in Fairfield, Conn.

The Wildcats went up first as junior forward Kayla Kenney (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) scored a goal with under four minutes to play in the first half. Fellow junior forward Heather Smillie (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) assisted on the goal to give VU the 1-0 lead.

The Pioneers responded less than two minutes later to tie it up as Sacred Heart's Danielle Gallagher notched an assisted goal, taking the game 1-1 into halftime.

A defensive battle took hold in the second half as the game remained tied at the end of regulation.

Pioneer midfielder Danielle Gallagher scored her second goal of the game right as time expired in the 15 minute overtime to give Sacred Heart the victory.

The event marked Villanova's first overtime game since falling to Rutgers on Oct. 4, 2013.

The Wildcats registered seven shots on goal to Sacred Heart's nine. Kenney recorded two shots as did freshman Molly Turner (Dallas, Pa./Wyoming Seminary), who came in the game off the bench in her first college appearance. Smillie and seniors Maddy Harding (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks) and Jessica Swoboda (Hanover Township, Pa./Wyoming Seminary) each tallied one shot on goal.

Wildcat freshman goalkeeper Jordyn Clipstone earned her first collegiate start in the cage as she made six saves across her first 85 minutes of play.

Villanova will now gear up for its home opener on Mon., Sept. 1 at Villanova Stadium against Missouri State at noon. Missouri State lost its season opener on Friday night at Monmouth, 3-0. The Bears will play tomorrow at Rider before traveling to Villanova, Pa. for the Labor Day matinee.