ASTON, Pa. -- There's good reason why the Virginia Wesleyan College field hockey team hopes history really does repeat itself.

The Marlins opened the 2013 season on Saturday with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory over Maryland's Stevenson University on a neutral field at Neumann University, marking the first opening season win for the VWC program since 2003. VWC defeated Ohio's College of Wooster 4-0 in the 2003 opener and went on to reel off 18 consecutive victories en route to a place in the NCAA tournament.

VWC has little time to enjoy its win however, as the Marlins return to Turf Field on the Neumann campus to face the host team on Sunday, Sept. 1, at 1 p.m. Neumann faced Stevenson on Friday and dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to the Mustangs.

Virginia Wesleyan (1-0) pulled out the thrilling win with 1:21 remaining in the overtime period when senior Martha Staring (Royersford, Pa./Little Falls) knocked the ball through the defense and into the cage.

Stevenson (1-1) scored first in the game when Amy Tamarana (Toms River, N.J./Toms River) put the Mustangs on the scoreboard with 19 minutes played.

Virginia Wesleyan tied the game at the 59:35 mark on a unassisted shot by senior Taylor Lober (Wilmington, Del./Concord).

The 1-1 score stuck through regulation play, before Staring came up with her game winner, set up by an assist by rookie Asiah Allen (St. Louis, Mo./Pattonville).

Virginia Wesleyan finished with a 15-13 advantage in shots, including a 4-2 margin in OT.  Stevenson held the advantage in penalty corners though, 10-5.

Junior Lindsay Baker (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) protected the goal for Virginia Wesleyan and produced six saves.  Gabriella Brooks (Bel Air, Md./Patterson Mill) had five saves for Stevenson in 48:39 and Katie Cavanaugh (Parkville, Md./Perry Hall) finished with two saves in 35 minutes.

--AMDG--