POTSDAM, N.Y. – Visiting Morrisville State College women's lacrosse rallied from a three goal deficit in the second half, and used the overtime period to top host SUNY Potsdam by a 9-8 final Thursday afternoon in Potsdam.

The win is the third straight for the Mustangs, who improve to 3-1 to date on the season.

Gianna Branca (Camillus, N.Y.) led Morrisville State with five points on the day, netting four goals and assisting another, while teammate Celia Abbott (Shortsville, N.Y.) posted two scores.

Kallie George (Tully, N.Y.) collected seven saves in the win between the pipes for Morrisville State, three in the second half of action.

Branca was the first to post one up on the scoreboard for the Mustangs, netting the unassisted tally nearly six minutes into the contest. Potsdam responded three minutes later with one of their own to tie the game at one.

After a free position score from the Bears at the 15:29 mark, Branca tied the contest for a second time three minutes later, before Potsdam rattled off two straight for the 4-2 advantage with seven minutes to play.

Back to back tallies by Branca within two minutes of one another tied the contest for a third time, before a free position goal by Brianna DelColle (Huntington, N.Y.) regained the one-goal lead for Morrisville State with 2:33 to go in the half.

Potsdam added a final score of the opening period with 1:10 showing on the clock, sending the game into the halftime break knotted at five.

The Bears opened with the first three tallies of the second half, netting scores at 22:30, 17:04 and 14:22, but Morrisville State's free position score by Abbott at 11:09 sparked a Mustang comeback that would pay off in extra time.

Following a crucial save by George, Jordan Anderson (West Edmeston, N.Y.) went the distance of the field and found the back of the net to bring Morrisville State within one with 7:46 remaining in the contest.

Both teams exchanged possession of the ball over the next six minutes of action, but it was a costly foul by Potsdam's defense inside one minute to go that was in favor of the Mustangs; as Abbott rifled the free position attempt past the Bears keeper for the game tying score with 37 seconds remaining.

Potsdam won the ensuing draw control and had one final attempt to put the game away in regulation, but the shot hit the cross bar and George came up with the ground ball to force the overtime period.

After a scoreless three minutes in overtime, sophomore Courtney Cavellier (Rodman, N.Y.) seized possession for Morrisville State by winning the draw and found Branca to set up the offensive set for the Mustangs.

Branca reconnected with Cavellier on a cut across the middle, who buried the shot for the thrilling win.

Cavellier finished with three draw controls for the Mustangs; Anderson with four.

Morrisville State returns to the field Saturday, hosting SUNY Canton at 1 p.m. in a non-league contest on Drake Field in Morrisville.

Morrisville State College's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.

The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges 2016 issue and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2016 Best Colleges rankings. For more information about Morrisville State College, visit www.morrisville.edu.

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