AMHERST, N.Y. - An improbable goal in the 89th minute sunk the Daemen College women's soccer team as the Wildcats dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting Mansfield University in non-conference action under the lights at Dimp Wagner Stadium tonight.

The game-winner came off the foot of Mansfield's Karyn Anselmo as she tracked down a Daemen clearing attempt, trapped the ball to herself, and launched a high, arching shot into a stiff breeze from 30 yards out.  Somehow, the ball found itself at the exact angle it needed to be to get over the head of Daemen goalkeeper Juli Prentice (Dryden, N.Y./Dryden) as it landed in the back of the net, giving the Mountaineers a lead that was too late to overcome for Daemen.

The teams battled to a 0-0 draw in the opening period.  Daemen was held to just one shot for much of the half, until they put together a late flurry following a corner kick in the 43rd minute.  On the play, Jessica Zawadzki (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore West) found the head of Alexis Koral (Williamsville, N.Y./William Smith College) but her attempt was thwarted by Mansfield goalkeeper Alana Greenawalt, as was the rebound attempt off the foot of the Wildcats' Lindsay Stoddard (Limestone, N.Y./Allegany-Limestone).  Stoddard then had another chance stopped by Greenawalt after the ball was sent back to her in the box following a failed Mountaineer clearing attempt.

Brielle Filtch got Mansfield on the board when she notched her third goal of the season in the 52nd minute.  Filtch picked up a loose ball in the midfield and carried it to the top of the box where her hard, driving shot ricocheted off of Prentice's hands and across the goaline.  

Daemen appeared poised to tie things up when, in the 69th minute, Stephanie Zurales (Woodrige, Ill./Downers Grove South) broke loose up the right side and sent a crossing feed to a streaking Cassidy Kozub (West Seneca, N.Y./Orchard Park) in the middle of the box.  Kozub's attempt was again sent away by Greenawalt, keeping the Mountaineers ahead by one.

The lead would be short-lived from there though as Daemen picked up the equalizer in the 77th minute.  Zurales was the catalyst, again getting free along the right sideline.  Her crossing feed to the top of the box was touched neatly by Kozub onto the streaking Rachael Banasik (Depew, N.Y./Depew) who beat Greenawalt with a shot inside the near post from the left wing.  It was Banasik's second goal of the season and the 13th of her stellar career.

The set the stage for Anselmo's heroics which would deliver Mansfield's first win since Sept. 24, snapping a five game winless drought.  The Mountaineers improved to 3-9-1 with the win, while Daemen dropped to an identical 3-9-1 mark this season.

Prentice filled in admirably in goal once again despite the loss as regular starter Kathryn Haessner (Moravia, N.Y./Moravia) remains on the shelf with an injury.  Prentice finished with a career-high seven saves.

Greenawalt made six stops for Mansfield to earn her third victory of the year.

Daemen returns to East Coast Conference play this weekend with road tilts at Queens College (Friday, Oct. 17, noon) and Molloy College (Sunday, Oct. 19, 11 a.m.).