The App State Mountaineers (8-4, 3-1 MAC) field hockey team picked up a huge conference win on Friday over the Kent State Golden Flashes (3-8, 2-2 MAC), winning in shootout fashion after a hard-fought contest. It took two overtime periods, and all five shootout attempts to decide the contest, but in the end, App State would prevail 2-1 in shootouts and beat Kent State for the first time in regular season play.

“I’m so proud of this group,” head coach Emily Dinsmore said. “We talked pregame to be rooted in love and grounded for each other and they did that today. They gave it their all and played with joy, so it was really cool to see them go out there and win today.”

There were several stars on Friday, but none shined brighter than fifth-year goalkeeper Addie Clark who saved 10 shots in the game, including three in the shootout period to keep Kent State to just one score in shootouts. With Addie’s sixth save today, she eclipsed 250 for her career.

“I’m thankful to have been given the opportunity to come back here for my fifth year,” Clark said. “It means a lot to me to get 250 saves because of the work I’ve put in to get here and the journey I’ve had at App State. I want to take things save by save and be the best goalkeeper that I can for this team.”

With Sophia Baxter’s shot on App State’s second shootout attempt, the Mountaineers would take a 2-1 lead, which would ultimately decide the contest. For Baxter, she moves the Black & Gold to 2-0 in games decided in overtime this year and extends the Mountaineer overtime winning streak to four in a row.

“I had a plan in my head that I went with, and it worked out,” Baxter said. “There was a huge rush of adrenaline after I scored. It was exciting. The energy was unbelievable today and I’m very thankful we got the win.

The Mountaineers started fast in their first game at home since Sept. 22, firing the game’s first shot in the second minute. Jillian Orcutt took the game’s first shot, missing wide.

Just a minute later, Hadley Kuzmicky would take a beautiful feed from Noa Ginjaume Matas and insert the ball into the cage for her third goal in her last six games. Kuzmicky has stepped up big for the Mountaineers over her last three games, as she has made three straight starts and scored three goals in the past three weeks.

Goalkeeper Addie Clark picked up her first and second saves on consecutive shots by Kent State in the ninth minute. This would be the first two of 10 saves Clark had on the day.

App State had a busy period on offense, outshooting Kent State 3-2, and would take a 1-0 lead into the second quarter on Friday.

The Golden Flashes would quickly tie Friday’s contest up at one apiece with a goal by Patricia Strunk in the 16th minute. Eva Usoz was credited with the assist, her first of the year.

After the Kent State goal, App State looked for an answer and found daylight in the 17th minute as two shots were on target by Jillian Orcutt and Noa Ginjaume Matas. Kent State goalkeeper Cecile Van Eijck saved Ginjaume Matas’ shot, and the game remained tied.

Just before the half, the Golden Flashes would draw the game’s first penalty corner. Off the insert and a stick stop, Emma Rolston flung another shot in Clark’s direction, but Clark showed her resolve and kept the game tied, recording her third save of the day.

After one half of play at Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field, the game was tied at 1-1.

App State would draw their first penalty corner in the 37th minute of play today. Off the insert, Charlotte Bosma took a stop from Sarah Perkins and smashed it toward the cage, where Van Eijck saved it. Van Eijck had an impressive day herself, allowing just one goal and saving six shots.

App State would hold Kent State shotless in the third period but were unable to score themselves. For the period, the Mountaineers would tally three shots, but when the third-quarter horn sounded, the game remained in a 1-1 draw.

Fatigue started to set in for both teams in the fourth quarter, but each player fought through and gave the fans an entertaining finish on Friday in the High Country.

Ginjaume Matas, who scored two fourth-quarter goals last weekend in Michigan, was looking to play hero again on Friday as she fired a shot on cage. The freshman’s shot was saved, however, as Van Eijck picked up her fifth save of the day.

Kent State drew two penalty corners in the period, but Addie Clark and the Mountaineer defense stopped each of them, with Clark picking up two more saves.

The Black & Gold gave their fans a reason to cheer late in the game as they would draw a corner with 31 seconds to play. Kent State would hold serve, blocking a Lise Boekaar shot attempt and regulation would conclude with the game tied at one.

The first overtime period consisted of great defense by the Mountaineers as Dinsmore’s squad stopped four Kent State corners across the two periods. Most notably, Addie Clark saved a Golden Flash shot attempt off a corner with 53 seconds to play in the period, making a miraculous diving save to keep things tied as play headed to the second overtime period.

The second overtime would see Kent State continue to pressure App State’s defense, as the Golden Flashes would attempt two more shots. Clark would pick up her 10th and final save of the day, as she saved Eva Usoz’s shot attempt with 90 seconds to play.

In the first shootout period for the Mountaineers since Sept. 25, 2022, Kent State would make their first attempt to put them on the board first. Bridget Donovan would answer right back and knot things up at one with four attempts remaining for each team.

On the second attempt, Clark came up huge and thwarted Katie Wuerstle’s shot to give the Mountaineers hope as Sophia Baxter prepared for her shot. Baxter would not disappoint as she shook the goalkeeper and slotted one into the cage to put App State up 2-1 with three shots to go.

After Baxter’s goal, it was all about Addie Clark’s defense as she would keep the Golden Flashes out of the cage on the next three attempts and give the Mountaineers a win for the ages on Friday.

“We were tired, but the girls were super resilient and pushed through in those overtime periods,” Dinsmore said. “Even when we lost possession of the ball, they were running back and making tackles to then transition back into offense. They never gave up the whole game, and I am so proud to be their head coach.”

The Mountaineers will take the next six days to prepare for their next match against the Longwood Lancers in Farmville, Va., as they will kick off a season-long four-game road trip on Friday. First touch is scheduled for 5 p.m.