Squaring off against its first Atlantic-10 opponent of the season, the Massachusetts field hockey team secured a 4-3 win in thrilling fashion against Lock Haven Friday at Gladchuk Field.

In the 84th minute of the game, standout forward Antonet Louw drove right, juked out one defender with fancy stick work, then spun around another before dishing the ball to a streaking Lucy Cooper, who clubbed it into a wide-open net.

“When an opportunity like that comes, you all just have to stay so composed, because if you miss that shot that could be it for you,” said Cooper of her game-winning goal. “That was my one opportunity to score in that last twenty minutes, and I happened to get it.”

Cooper also scored with less than four minutes to go in regulation, sneaking a shot by LHU goalkeeper Brianna DeAngelis that put UMass (3-4, 1-0 A-10) ahead 3-2, but Bald Eagles forward Tamia Roach evened the game with a score off a direct corner to force overtime.

In the first overtime period, the Minutewomen clearly generated better quality offense, twice forcing DeAngelis to make incredible sprawling saves. Finally, their break came with 6:03 left in the second overtime period on the Louw-to-Cooper game-winner.

“It was amazing,” said a beaming coach Barb Weinberg of the goal. “I think we had a rough first half in the beginning. We came out the second half and were able to play much better and put more stats on the board. Any time you have 70 minutes [and] overtime it’s extremely physically taxing. For our two attackers to make a run like that up the field and finish the goal was brilliant.”

In the ninth minute of the game, on UMass’ first true offensive possession, Louw connected from the middle of the circle on a reverse stick shot, with junior midfielder Sophie de Jonge assisting on the play. Roughly five minutes later, LHU forward Taryn Piano knocked in the rebound of a penalty corner shot to tie the game at one apiece.

The score stayed knotted up going into halftime. Throughout the game, whenever UMass would score and seem to build momentum, LHU would answer right back.

Per Cooper, not letting opponents break their momentum is “something we’re trying to work on. That’s happened against Dartmouth as well, so I think just working on the next five minutes after we score a goal or they score a goal. [That] has to be the hardest five minutes of the game…we just have to work harder.”

Despite registering more shots on net in the first half than did Lock Haven, it felt like UMass was on the defensive for the majority of the first 35 minutes.

Whereas LHU had been on the offensive for most of the first half, UMass opened the second in control. Ten minutes into the second half, Louw connected for her second goal of the game and tenth of the season. LHU stormed right back, with midfielder Kayla Brathwaite striking one past UMass goalkeeper Johanna von dem Borne in the 49th minute.

Louw may have once again stolen the show with her two goals and dazzling assist, but de Jonge played an integral role in the team’s victory in her return Friday.

“Sophie is the core of our defense,” Weinberg said. “She is unbelievable…she came up with a lot of balls that probably would’ve been shots on goal if she didn’t make those tackles.”

With Friday’s game marking both UMass’ first home win and its first win against a conference opponent, the Minutewomen will look to ride some momentum into its upcoming three game road stretch, which will commence Sunday against Harvard.

Ben Painchaud can be reached at [email protected].