West Chester, Pa. – In a top-10 matchup, the No. 7-ranked Newberry College field hockey team stayed perfect on the season with a 4-2 victory over No. 6 Mansfield at Vonnie Gros Field. With the win, the Wolves improve to 4-0 overall while handing the Mountaineers their second loss of the year.
Mansfield struck first just under six minutes into the opening quarter, but Newberry wasted no time answering back. Amber Tozana leveled the score at 1-1 with a composed finish off a pass from Finet Heemskerk in the 14th minute.
The Wolves took their first lead midway through the second period when Payton Keeler fired home a penalty corner, assisted by her sister Parker Keeler, to make it 2-1. Mansfield responded shortly after with a penalty stroke conversion, sending the teams into halftime knotted at 2-2.
Newberry broke the game open in the third quarter. Emma Westbrook scored the go-ahead goal in the 33rd minute and then turned provider just minutes later, feeding Lieke Varenkamp for a perfectly executed penalty corner goal to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Wolves' defense held strong the rest of the way despite heavy pressure. Mansfield generated five penalty corners and four shots on goal in the final quarter, but goalkeeper Ayanda Mangenah came up clutch with four saves in the period and nine total on the day. Westbrook also recorded a critical defensive save in the closing minutes to preserve the two-goal cushion.
Offensively, Newberry outshot Mansfield 16-14, with Parker Keeler leading the attack with six shots, five of which were on target. Tozana, Payton Keeler, Varenkamp, and Westbrook each tallied goals, while Heemskerk and Westbrook combined for three assists.
Westbrook finished with a standout all-around performance — one goal, two assists, and a defensive save — to headline the Wolves' victory. Midfield anchors Agustina Montserrat and Emma Swatski helped dictate possession throughout, contributing to Newberry's decisive third-quarter surge.
The Wolves will return to action tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. when they face West Chester University of Pennsylvania in West Chester, Pa.
