KENT, Ohio – A furious fourth-quarter rally by 24^th ranked Kent State sent the Golden Flashes past Longwood field hockey 3-2 on Friday afternoon in a hotly contested Mid-American Conference match.
 
The final three minutes proved to be the difference, as Kent State (7-4, 3-1 MAC) broke through a stalwart Lancer defense for two late goals that erased a one-goal Longwood lead. Katie Wuerstle and Maria Soler Cambra provided the clutch goals for the Golden Flashes, with Wuerstle's game winner finding the back of the cage with just more than a minute to play.
 
The late heroics offset a heroic effort from a Longwood (6-4, 2-2) defensive unit that was under siege throughout the fourth quarter. With Longwood nursing a 2-1 lead, Kent State rattled off 10 shots, eight on goal, while the Lancer defense kept coming up with big play after big play prior to the late rally. Madison Nuckols stood tall in goal, making six key saves, and her back line of Kolbey Donahue, Rio Weber and Ana Paula Lazaro added a pair of saves off the line as well.
 
Ultimately though, Kent State's pressure finally broke through inside the final three minutes. Cambra Soler deflected home the equalizer off a feed from Helena Cambra Soler and Luisa Knapp on a penalty corner, and Wuerstle redirected the game winner into the back of the cage 91 seconds later.
 
The Lancers rallied and forced the issue as well, nearly finding the equalizer with 19 seconds to play as they earned a penalty corner of their own. Donahue's shot was saved by Kent State goalkeeper Azure Fernsler prior to the time expiring.
 
"That was a tough game today," said Longwood head coach Iain Byers. "We had the lead twice and couldn't close, so we are all disappointed. There are lessons to be learned from this match, but at this point, it's a bitter pill to swallow."
 
Longwood was able to set the tempo early in the match behind a first-quarter goal from Kate Frey. The team weathered a Kent State flurry in the opening minutes before driving forward offensively, and Fresy nudged home a ball that popped out of a scrum in front of the cage. It was her fourth goal of the season.
 
After Kent State equalized the score before halftime, the Lancers struck again in the third quarter. Paula Lazaro centered a ball that caromed around and into the back of the cage off Zoe Tierney's stick and a Kent State defender, giving the Lancers a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth quarter. For Tierney, it was her second collegiate goal and first of the season.
 
Longwood heads back home for a four-match homestand, beginning with a non-conference matchup with Davidson College on Sunday afternoon. First push is set for 12 p.m. at Elizabeth Burger Jackson Field, and the match will be aired on ESPN+.
 
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