NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Bentley University senior Beth Maguire (Medfield/Medfield HS) scored her team-leading fifth goal with just 51 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 2-2, but Merrimack College, the seventh-ranked team in Division II, picked up the winner less than two minutes into overtime to best the visiting Falcons, 3-2, in Northeast-10 Conference field hockey Tuesday night at Warrior Field.

The game was scoreless for nearly 50 minutes before Bentley sophomore Gina Lirange (Auburn/Auburn HS) finished a 3-on-1 rush with 20:21 left, following a feed from freshman Sally James (Mequon,Wisc./Univ. School of Milwaukee). The goal was her third of the fall.

The lead was short-lived as Merrimack countered just 61 seconds later, the 12th of the year for 2011 Northeast-10 Player of the Year April Daugherty (Wakefield, R.I.). Five minutes later, senior Jen Otis (Penacook, N.H.) put the Warriors on top with her seventh of the season.

It stayed 2-1 into the final minute when the Falcons were awarded only their second penalty corner of the night. The initial shot was saved, but Maguire was there to knock the rebound into the cage.

Merrimack had the only three shots of the brief extra session, which ended with junior Candace Waddie (North Andover)  taking a pass from Otis and sending it in for her team-leading 14th of the year.

Bentley senior Julia Powell (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug HS) recorded five saves in a game that saw the Falcons outshot 16-6. Kerri Bergquist (Mashpee) made only one save for Merrimack, which improved to 9-2 overall and 3-1 NE-10.

Another nationally-ranked opponent is up next for Bentley (4-6, 1-2 NE-10) with the Falcons hosting number four UMass-Lowell Thursday at 7 pm.