ERIE, Pa.—Alexis Van Wallaghen scored just 2:20 into overtime to lift the visiting Bellarmine Knights to a 3-2 victory over Mercyhurst College in both teams' season openers on Saturday evening at Tullio Field in a non-conference game.

The Knights had taken a comfortable 2-0 lead into the locker room after goals by Kathryn Schneidtmiller and Alex Ginter.

However, the host Lakers tied it with a pair of second half scores.  After Andrea Goldbach's goal tied the game with 7:44 remaining in regulation, the Knights came back and peppered the Mercyhurst defense with six shots in the next five minutes. Laker goalie Sam Takac was up to the task and kept the score knotted at two. 

Then, it was Bellarmine's turn for a defensive stand as the Knights had to repel two penalty corners by the Lakers with no time remaining on the clock.

Bellarmine went on the offensive early in the overtime period, and Hannah Doll was able to thread a pass through the box that Van Wallaghen collected and converted for the game-winner.

"It was exciting," said Bellarmine Coach Mark Blankenbaker, "and it was really a lot of fun."  He added, "The girls really showed a lot of character tonight."

The Knights don't get much time to celebrate their dramatic victory as they have a 1 p.m. game on Sunday at Slippery Rock.