MANSFIELD, Conn. --  Megan Ripke tied the match with 7:32 left in regulation and Julie O'Rourke scored into an open goal six minutes into sudden death overtime to lift the Worcester State University field hockey team to a 3-2 triumph over Eastern Connecticut State University Saturday afternoon at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.

The conference win was the first of the year for Worcester (3-13, 1-9 LEC), which defeated Eastern (5-11, 2-8 LEC) for the fourth straight and tenth time in the last 11 meetings.

Eastern led twice in the match and held a 2-1 halftime lead before the Lancers gained the equalizer when Ripke blasted in a shot which was initiated on a penalty corner. In overtime, Ally Valencia found the seam in the Eastern defense from behind midfield and threaded a long pass straight up the middle. O'Rourke reached the ball at the same time as Eastern goalie Olivia Mullen (Bethel), who came off her mark in an attempt to clear. The ball dribbled behind the fallen Mullen and O'Rourke righted herself and steered it into an open net.

Eastern outshot Worcester, 16-8, but Worcester goalie Rebecca Mullen made four kick saves in the second half and in overtime – several coming on hard drives by Eastern's Hannah Collier (Watertown). Worcester' s Mullen finished with eight saves and Eastern's Mullen with three.

Collier's third goal of the season on a drive from the right inside circle off a penalty corner from Finley Ahearn gave the Warriors a lead in the ninth minute, and after Katelyn Abber countered for Worcester ten minutes later, freshman Hannah Keiser's (Danbury) fourth goal of  2012 put Eastern back on top five minutes before the half.

Eastern visits Regis College (MA) in a non-conference match Thursday.