• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (Oct. 17) – Senior forward Amanda Heister (Palmyra, Pa. / Northern Lebanon) scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 98th minute, on Saturday as the No. 20 California University of Pennsylvania women's soccer team earned a 3-2 overtime victory against Mercyhurst at Roadman Park in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.

The Vulcans improve to 12-3-1 overall and 7-2-1 in league action and are now tied with IUP for the lead in the PSAC West standings with 22 points. The 12 overall victories ties the program record for most overall wins in a season (1992, 1994, 2008) and the seven conference victories also ties the school record set last season. Meanwhile, the Lakers drop to 9-5-1 overall and 6-3-1 in divisional play. Cal U and Mercyhurst entered the game in a three-way tie with IUP for first place in the league standings.

With her two goals, Heister leads the team with a career-high 12 goals. She is now tied with Kelly Giardetti (1998) for the sixth-highest, single-season total in program history. Heister now has 36 career goals, including 13 career game-winners, in 70 games.

Cal U opened the game with a 1-0 lead when sophomore Chaning Wimer (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township) headed in a corner kick by freshman Kayla Fransko (Monongahela, Pa./Ringgold) 42 seconds into the game. Mercyhurst evened the score at 1-1 when senior Taylor Hilinski scored in the 12th minute off an assist from freshman Danielle Braun.

After the score remained tied at halftime, the Vulcans claimed a 2-1 lead when Heister tallied an unassisted goal at the 58:51-mark. The Lakes countered with a game-tying goal, 2-2, less than four minutes later when Hilinski posted her 10th goal of the year off another feed from Braun.

In the overtime period, Mercyhurst took the first two shots before Cal U attempted a pair of shots in less than 30 seconds during the 96th minute. Heister then scored the game-winning goal in the 99th minute off a pass by Fransko.

Sophomore goalkeeper Paula Jackson (Kingston, Jamaica/Wolmer's Trust) earned the win with five saves in 98 minutes of action, while junior Rachel Griepsma collected a career-high 11 saves in the loss.

The Vulcans out-shot the Lakers by an impressive 30-14 margin, including 27-12 during regulation. Cal U also attempted all eight of the corner kicks in the game.

Cal U returns to action on Tuesday, Oct. 20, when it travels to face Gannon in Erie at 2 p.m. Earlier this year, the Vulcans posted a 3-1 win over the Golden Knights.