LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University field hockey team opened the 2021 season today (Friday, September 3) at home on Charlotte Smith Field and the Bald Eagles picked up a thrilling 2-1 overtime-win over Ball State (0-3).
 
Martina Spangenberg (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Piaget) provided the heroics after scoring with 2:42 left in the first-overtime period.
 
Today's game marked the first competition on the newly installed turf at Charlotte Smith Field and it was the first of eight scheduled home games during the 2021 regular season. Last year (2020-21), Lock Haven was 2-1 at home in the special, but shortened spring 2021 semester season. Back in 2019, Lock Haven was 6-4 on the home turf.
 
Leading the way today was Spangenberg and Amy Stevens (Castle Creek, N.Y./Whitney Point) as the duo combined for six points. Each scored once and each dished out an assist as the pair paved the way offensively for Lock Haven.
 
Joaquina Orlandini (Concordia, Argentina/San Antonio School) was spectacular in the cage and The Haven's veteran goalkeeper finished with five saves.
 
Spangenberg was tremendous in all areas and the Bald Eagles got a strong defensive effort from many, including freshmen Morgan Becker (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) and Zhao Rodrigo (Valencia, Spain/Colegio San Bartoleme). In all, LHU started five freshmen today.
 
Karina Long (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) and Anna May Barbusca (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor) also turned in notable efforts in the win.
 
Early in the second quarter, Stevens put Lock Haven 1-0 after she fired home a Spangenberg pass. Spangenberg slipped the ball into the circle, which gave Stevens all the space she needed to push one by Ball State goalkeeper Hannah Johnston.
 
Early in the fourth quarter, Ball State leveled the contest at 1-1 after Maureen Donegan notched a goal for the visitors. Regulation ended with both teams knotted at 1-1.
 
With just minutes left in the first-overtime period, Stevens and Spangenberg teamed up again for a Lock Haven goal. The two broke towards the cage with just one defender to beat and a perfect crossing-pass from Stevens did just that and allowed Spangenberg time to slap a backhanded shot into the back of the cage for the thrilling game-winning tally.
 
The Bald Eagles will be right back in action on Sunday (Sept. 5) when they get their first road test of the season. LHU will take on Colgate at 12 p.m.