Senior field hockey forward Jennifer Burris scored the game-winning goal in the 70th minute to give the Lancers a crucial 1-0 Mid-American Conference win over Missouri State Saturday afternoon at Betty and Bobby Allison North Stadium. Burris scored her 10th goal of the season to move Longwood to 6-10-1 overall, and a 3-3 mark in MAC play.

The Lancers close out the conference schedule in a two-way tie for fourth place with the Bears. The goal from Burris came with just 53 seconds remaining in the game on a breakaway down the left side of the field when she fielded a pass from senior classmate Hollie MacDonald and pushed the game-winner into the left side of the cage.

Despite each team going scoreless in the first 69 minutes, the Lancers and Bears still battled hard for the advantage as they each fired eight shots on the day. The Missouri State defense held Longwood to zero shots on goal on six attempts up until Longwood forward Edel Nyland’s 64th-minute shot inside the arc was saved by Missouri State keeper Feli Heinzel.

Moments later, Longwood took advantage of a yellow card from Missouri State’s Holly Scherer, which forced the Bears to play short one player in the final three minutes. The duo of Burris and MacDonald connected for Burris’ third game-winner this season and seventh of her storied career.

In her last few games wearing a Lancer uniform, Burris has racked up nine points over the last four games. During the four-game span, she has tallied four goals, including a hat trick and today’s game-winner, and one assist.

Lancer goalkeeper Katie Wyman withstood pressure from the Bears’ attack with five saves on the day, as the freshman recorded the first shutout of her career.

Due to a tiebreaker that goes to Missouri State, the Lancers’ bid to earn a berth into the MAC Championship tournament comes up short after Miami (OH) handed Ohio a loss later in the afternoon. The Lancers now travel to St. Louis for the team’s season finale which will be played at Villa Duchesne High School. The game is set for an 11:30 a.m. start on Friday.