LOUISVILLE, Ky.-It was a heartbreaking end to the Bellarmine University field hockey season as the Knights fell 3-2 in overtime to the top-seeded Limestone Saints in the championship game of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament today at Trager Stadium on the campus of the University of Louisville.

Bellarmine controlled the game for the majority of the first 70 minutes and led 2-0 with just six minutes remaining. However, the defending conference champs stormed back with a pair of goals in the final five and a half minutes to force the overtime.

The Saints got the game winner just 2:15 into the 7-on-7 overtime as Limestone's Nicolle Grant took possession and raced down the left sideline. As she got near the endline, she crossed a pass to teammate Rebekah Baker who was able to redirect the ball into the goal.

Bellarmine had taken the lead with a pair of first half goals, both coming off penalty corners. Aimee Ilgenfritz redirected a shot by Lillie Nitzken to get the scoring started five and a half minutes into the game. The Knights went up 2-0 when Ilgenfritz inserted a penalty corner to "stopper" Elle Lichte at the top of the circle and Kelsey O'Bryan blasted a shot past the Limestone goalie.

The game was scoreless over the next 53 minutes as the teams's defenses held firm. Grant got the first Limestone goal, deflecting a pass off the stick of Brittany Carney during a penalty corner.

The Saints got the equalizer with just a minute and a half remaining in regulation. The tying goal also came off a corner as Jill Funkhouser took the insertion and fed Stembeni Zhanda, who collected the pass just in front of the left side of the goal and finished with a shot into the right side of the cage.

Bellarmine actually won the battle of statistics, owning advantages in shots (13-12), saves (5-4) and penalty corners (10-5). However, the Saints won the only stat that matters-goals-to improve to 11-6 on the season.

The Knights, who were the No. 3 seed in the tournament, finish their year 10-7 as both teams entered the championship with identical records.

Bellarmine placed three on the All Tournament Team with Kelci Kirchdorfer, O'Bryan, and Lichte all receiving the recognition. The entire team includes:

Defenders: Linda Bonagard, Lindenwood; Katie Thompson, Newberry; KelciKirchdorfer, Bellarmine

Forwards: Kelsey O'Bryan, Bellarmine; Jill Funkhouser (Most Outstanding Player), Limestone; RebekahBaker, Limestone; Greta Banholzer, Lindenwood

Midfielders: Elle Lichte, Bellarmine; Courtney Tully, Limestone; Nicole Johnston, Lindenwood

Goalkeeper: TabriaCochran, Limestone

BOX SCORE (HTM)