Box Score PURCHASE (NY) – Kelsey Zook scored three goals, including the game-winner in overtime, as Delaware Valley College moved into sole possession of first place and locked up a spot in the Freedom Conference tournament for the second straight year and the fourth time in the last five years with a 5-4 victory at Manhattanville College 5-4 in overtime.

For a team that was picked to finish sixth in the conference according to the preseason coaches' poll, Delaware Valley has instead put itself a win away from clinching the top seed and a chance to host throughout in the Freedom tournament. The victory on Saturday was the Aggies' fourth straight and third in a row against conference opponents as they improved to 12-5 overall (tying a school record for wins in a season) and 5-1 in the league.

The tie was broken atop the standings thanks to DeSales University's 2-1 overtime loss at Wilkes University. DeSales fell to 4-2 in conference play along with Misericordia University while a dogfight remains for the fourth and final spot.

Delaware Valley will travel on Tuesday, October 29 (4:00 pm) for the regular-season finale as it heads to five-time defending champion Eastern University, which kept its tournament hopes alive with a win at King's College to improve to 2-4 in the Freedom. The Aggies could still get the top seed with a loss if Misericordia falls at Wilkes (3-3) on Tuesday evening or if a three-way tie occurs at the top and FDU-Florham (2-4) is the fourth seed. FDU-Florham travels to Manhattanville on Tuesday evening while DeSales hosts King's (1-5) at 3:00 pm on Tuesday.

Less than five minutes into the wide open, 7-on-7 overtime period, the Aggies earned themselves a corner opportunity. The ball was played into Zook, who controlled the pass and dribbled to the top of the arch. She then fired a shot that beat the goalie and snuck just inside the left post for her sixth tally of the year. Just 4:47 had elapsed off the clock and it set off a Delaware Valley celebration on the Valiants' home turf.

The first 25 minutes of the game saw a combined three penalty strokes called and all three attempts found the back of the cage. Zook had the first attempt as she opened the scoring 11:52 into the game. Then, it was Manhattanville's turn as the team called on Sharon Konfederak to take their penalty stroke and even the score. Delaware Valley was then awarded another stroke and it was Zook again who connected again.

The Aggies then took control of the half as they scored two more times in the next five minutes. First, it was Jessica Summers who picked up her 10th of the year on an unassisted tally. Less than two minutes later, freshmen Stefania Swider buried a pass that was sent across the crease from Elana Keller for her third of the season and a 4-1 Delaware Valley lead.

In the second half, the Valiants clawed their way back as the conference's leading scorer, Amanda DeChent, connected twice to put them within one. Her first was a backhander that she lifted over the goalie from 10 yards out 6:15 into the stanza. Her second of the day and 24th of the season was also unassisted as she followed her own shot and put a rebound past the goalie.

DeChent then played the role of facilitator for the tying goal as she found Breanna O'Neill for her third score of the season with 18:03 left in regulation. Neither team could find the difference maker after that as the game proceeded into overtime, where the stage was set for Zook to play hero.