BUENA VISTA, Va. — First-year Ingrid Kalwitz-Blanco opened her collegiate account on Wednesday afternoon, scoring the overtime game-winner against Southern Virginia at Knight Stadium.
"Ingrid had the game of her life," said Sweet Briar head coach Hannah Lott. "Played both sides of the ball with intensity and composure. Knew she would score today, it wasn't if, it was when. Glad she could finish it for us."
Sweet Briar (5-7) completed the regular-season sweep of the Knights (0-12) after four periods of scoreless field hockey.
The Vixens forced Southern Virginia goalkeeper Kyla Nase into her first save of the day when sophomore Maggie Groetsch (Asheville, N.C.) placed a shot on frame in the 13th minute.
Kalwitz-Blanco (Antofagasta, Chile) put her shot in the 21st minute on frame but was turned away by Nase.
The third period of play saw Groetsch and junior Alexis Jones (Suffolk, Va.) force Nase to record saves, before junior goalkeeper Rosemary Austin (Commerce Township, Mich.) was required to make her first save of the day in the 40th minute on a Makayla Hillian try.
The fourth period was more of the same for the Knights and Vixens, with Jones putting a shot on target in the 49th, before being turned away by defender Paige Anderson for a defensive save.
Overtime opened with the field slanted toward the Southern Virginia goal, as the Knights opened the period with a pair of penalty corners and a shot by Elizabeth Sorto that was stopped by Austin. A third penalty corner led to another Sorto shot that was blocked and let to a Sweet Briar transition.
Sorto's shot was blocked at 62:40 before Sweet Briar quickly transitioned the ball downfield and scored at 62:49 when Jones assisted on Kalwitz-Blanco's first career goal.
Kalwitz-Blanco became the fifth Vixen to score this season, while Jones picked up her team-high second assist of the year.
Austin finished the day with two saves for Sweet Briar.
With the win, the Vixens tallied their fifth victory of the season, the most since a five-win 2008 season.
Sweet Briar gets a bit of a break before its season finale, as the Vixens return to action on Friday, October 25 in a 7 p.m. start at Ferrum.
