The St. Lawrence University field hockey team rallied for a 2-1 overtime victory on Tuesday against Cortland State in the team's final home game of the 2011 season. Junior Courtney Cartier scored the game-winner 4:03 into the extra period, allowing the Saints to celebrate a dramatic come-from-behind win, their first over the Red Dragons since 2003.

The Scarlet and Brown finish the regular season with a 9-7 overall record and will face nationally-ranked No. 5 Skidmore College in the Liberty League semifinals. Meanwhile, Cortland falls to 10-5 despite outshooting the Saints 21-9 and having a 12-4 edge in penalty corners.

"This is definitely a huge win for us, especially heading into the postseason," said St. Lawrence head coach Fran Grembowicz. "We really played together as a team throughout the game. Our defense did a great job of keeping us in it throughout the first half and we started to attack more throughout the second."

St. Lawrence trailed 1-0 at intermission thanks to a Cortland State goal by Katie Barbagallo, her ninth of the season, which came at 17:12. Karly Vdoviak got the play started, sending a long hit into the circle where Barbagallo re-directed it past Matos for the 1-0 lead.

Though the Red Dragons put consistent pressure on the St. Lawrence defense, sophomore Nicole Matos made seven key saves while senior Julia Croyle helped shut down the visitor's offensive chances. Croyle came up with a crucial save of her own on Erin Smith's bid to keep the home team within striking distance heading into the second half.

The Saints would take little time in tying the game at 1-1 early in the second half. Sophomore Kate Higgins, who had a solid outing in the midfield, sent a pass into the circle to senior Erika Swits. The Ballston Spa, NY native swept a bouncing shot past Cortland goalie Emily von Schondorf at 41:43 to level the scoring.

Both teams exchanged outstanding scoring chances throughout the remainder of the first half, with the best bid arguably going to Swits again, who had a shot get by the keeper but stopped at the goal line by a diving Brianna Petronio to keep the game knotted at 1-1.

The Saints started with the ball in overtime and never allowed the Red Dragons a solid offensive possession. Instead, they took the ball deep into the visitors' end and earned a penalty corner. Swits sent the pass outside the circle to first-year student Ali Ferenczy, whose shot hit a Cortland player's stick and ricochet right to Cartier in front of the net. With von Schondorf well out of position hoping to make a save on Ferenczy, Cartier turned to her right and fired a shot into the vacated net to give the Saints a 2-1 non-conference victory.

Matos had another fantastic outing in goal for St. Lawrence, closing with 12 saves to earn the win, while von Schondorf had two stops in the loss.

St. Lawrence will take on Skidmore next Wednesday, November 2 in the conference semifinals in Saratoga Springs, NY. The time of that game is yet to be determined.