SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – First-year Alyssa Pavano scored the game-tying goal early in the fourth quarter and the game-winner early in overtime as the Union College field hockey team came back from a two-goal deficit to remain undefeated with a 4-3 (OT) victory over Hartwick College on Wednesday night at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
 
Senior Emily Dawson and junior Sophie Ruhl also scored and first-year Megan Dorsey had two assists for Union (6-0), which extends the second-longest winning streak to open a season in program history with the win. The six straight victories now also give the team sole possession of fourth place on the list of school single-season winning streaks.
 
It did not take long for Union to end the game in overtime, scoring just 44 seconds into the extra period. Dorsey won a contested ball in the midfield and sent a pass forward to Pavano, who put the ball between the legs of Hartwick goalie Madison Maddocks for the game-winning score.
 
In a continuing theme of scoring early in periods, the game began auspiciously for Union with Dawson netting her seventh goal of the season in the first minute of play. Off a deflected corner, Dorsey did well to track down the ball on the near endline and fired it across the goal mouth to Dawson, who redirected the ball into the net. Shots were 6-1 in favor of Union over the first 15 minutes as the home team continued its tendency to start strong, but five saves from Maddocks kept the visitors in the game.
 
Hartwick took back control of the game in the second stanza, outshooting Union 5-0 and scoring twice to hand Union a deficit for the first time all season. Two Hartwick tallies by Lex Matarazzo less than two minutes apart put Hartwick on top at the half.
 
A third straight goal from Leah Tolley early in the third made it a 3-1 game just 81 seconds into the frame. But Ruhl got one goal back less than two minutes after Tolley's tally, tipping home a feed from the near side by senior Jill Bove 3:18 into the period. Union outshot Hartwick 3-2 in the period, but the Hawks recorded six penalty corners to keep the pressure on the Union defense.
 
Pavano evened the score in the opening minute of the fourth quarter after Union earned a penalty corner. The initial shot by Dorsey was saved, but the ball came loose to Pavano at the near post and she managed to poke it home to tie the game with 14:06 remaining. The teams combined for just one shot on goal the rest of the stanza, sending the game to extra time for Pavano's heroics.
 
Union finished the game with a 13-10 edge in shots, while Hartwick took 13 penalty corners to Union's six. First-year Sophie Brady made three saves to keep her unbeaten record intact to start her collegiate career, while Maddocks had seven stops for Hartwick.
 
Union will carry its unbeaten record into Liberty League play this weekend, as the team heads to Ithaca College for a key mid-season battle with the Bombers beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday.