Millersville, Pa. - A match-up of the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in Division II should be nothing less. Trailing visiting West Chester 2-0 and playing without leading scorer Kaitlyn Zapp, top-ranked Millersville stormed from behind with three unanswered goals and completed the comeback on a Champayne Hess' (Harrisburg/Milton Hershey) breakaway in the second overtime.

Millersville had not allowed two goals on its home turf since Oct. 13, 2012 when West Chester topped the Marauders one game before the current 13-game home winning streak began. Alexis Versak scored twice off of penalty corners in the first seven minutes against a club that entered the game allowing a mere 0.20 goals per game. But Millersville, even without seven-goal scorer Zapp, rallied with a first half goal from freshman Courtney Weaver (Lititz/Warwick) and an early second half strike from senior Hannah Whitman (Lebanon/Cedar Crest) to force overtime.

Getting to overtime was key for the Marauders, who improved 2-0 this season and 8-2 since 2012 in extra session games.

"It is a testament to our character, to how we train and how we support each other," said Millersville head coach Shelly Behrens. "I just told them if we can win the five minute battles we would be OK. Just play the game, don't think about the scoreboard."

West Chester boasted a 13-8 advantage in shots and 16-4 advantage in penalty corners after regulation, but Millersville imposed its will from the start of the first OT. The Marauders fired three shots at West Chester keeper Sarah Krause in the first three minutes, but all three were redirected. Millersville goalkeeper Lauren Sotzin (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin), the program's all-time wins leader, matched Krause later by turning away three shots in a one-minute span and then making three more saves in the first two minutes of the second overtime.

Millersville managed only one shot in the second overtime, but one was enough. In the 92nd minute, Hess subbed for Lauren Gerhart just as the Marauders cleared the ball into their offensive end. Hess tracked down the loose ball, navigated for 30 yards past one defender, and slipped past a drawn-out Krause before flipping the game-winner into an empty cage.

"It was a timely sub to be sure," said Behrens. "I thought Champayne played an outstanding game. I thought she was going to score once or twice earlier. If she keeps the stick on the ball, with her speed, she can pretty much place it. There is no question that the kids were fatigued. They were dealing with the emotion of a big game against West Chester. For Champ to make some changes during the game shows her character and how much she has grown."

The goal was Hess' third of the season and fifth game-winner since 2012.

"What these seniors have done every game of their careers has been fight to the last second no matter what the score on the scoreboard says," said Behrens. "I have no question about our fight. We got a little nervy but we pulled together. A good team will find a way to win. We are game six into (the season) and we are still getting better. This is a game that we can learn a lot about ourselves."

The Marauder comeback began with Weaver's first career goal at the 13:36 mark. Weaver weaved through traffic and beat Krause with a shot just past her right foot.

"We were creating some opportunities. I knew it was going to go in," said Behrens. "Courtney does not play like a typical freshman. She's a local girl from Warwick. She had her way with the ball and placed it past the keeper. That definitely helped us, getting back within one."

Whitman's equalizer came in the 40th minute, 4:57 into the second period. Whitman cranked a penalty corner entry from Sarah Bomberger (Elm, Pa./Manheim Central) from a step outside the circle. A West Chester stick redirected the shot high past Krause.

West Chester finished with a slight 23-17 lead in shots. Sotzin, who made 24 saves and allowed one goal in four wins over West Chester in 2013, stopped 12 shots Tuesday. Krause made eight saves for the Golden Rams.

The win was Millersville's second in a one vs. two match-up this season and the fifth consecutive win over West Chester. The Marauders travel to Mansfield on Sept. 27 for 6:30 p.m. start.