EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University field hockey team battled for 60-plus minutes during its home opener Saturday afternoon against Alvernia University before the Golden Wolves were able to leave Schmidt Stadium with a tight 3-2 overtime win.

With the loss Wilkes dropped to 0-3 on the season while Alvernia improved to 2-2.

Alvernia controlled the majority of the first quarter, holding a 5-0 shot advantage but Wilkes' goalkeeper Carly Eidle (East Greenville, PA/Upper Perkiomen) made two saves to keep the game scoreless. The Colonels offense picked up in the second quarter and broke through for the first goal when senior Ali Dunn (Pittston, PA/Pittston) scored at the 20:47 mark. First year Bridget Rosenfeld (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) inserted a penalty corner pass to sophomore Jordan Pugh (Plains, PA/James M. Coughlin) who then found Dunn to the right for the blast from the top right of the circle. The point was the first of Pugh's career.

The Golden Wolves answered with a goal at the 26:50 mark sending the game to halftime at 1-1.

Senior Morghan Murphy (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) gave the Colonels a one-goal lead again when she scored in the third quarter at the 39:54 mark off a pass from Abigail Davis (Mountain Top, PA/Crestwood).

Eidle made two saves at the conclusion of the quarter, but Alvernia earned a penalty corner with no time left and capitalized with the game-tying goal on a nice, lofted shot by Madison Potthoff.

The fourth quarter was quiet offensively for both sides with Alvernia hitting the post once on the closest opportunity. Alvernia then took advantage of a penalty corner 38 seconds into the 6-on-6 sudden-victory overtime to leave with the road victory.

Eidle made eight saves for the Colonels on the afternoon. Alvernia led 19-5 in shots and 12-4 in shots on goal while also earning 12 penalty corners to three for Wilkes.

Murphy led the Colonels with three shots, all on goal, while Potthoff was the leader for Alvernia with eight shots and six on goal. Hannah Wolfe made two saves to earn the victory for the Golden Wolves.

Wilkes returns to action tomorrow when they travel to Elmira College for a 12:00 p.m. non-conference contest.