MADISON, N.J. – Freshman Emily Caporrino picked an opportune time to score her first collegiate goal, striking with just nine seconds left to hand the Drew University field hockey team a thrilling 5-4 victory in non-conference action Tuesday evening in Ranger Stadium.
 
With the win, the Rangers (5-2) are now off to their best start through seven games since the 2013 squad opened the year 10-0.
 
Senior Lauren Cagliostro scored two goals for Drew while classmate Janelle Arch contributed one goal and one assist.
 
The contest appeared to be heading to overtime before the Rangers made one final push, earning a penalty corner with 16 seconds remaining. Cagliostro sent the ball in to the top of the circle, where sophomore Emma Rider redirected the pass to freshman Ellie Kopec at the left elbow. Kopec ripped a shot toward the goalie, who had roamed away from the cage, before Arch tipped a pass behind the goalie. Caporrino took care of the rest, slapping home the game-winner inside the left post.
 
The Eagles (2-3) struck first, scoring twice in the opening eight minutes. However, Drew responded with three unanswered goals over the remainder of the half.
 
Cagliostro put the Rangers on the scoreboard when she rebounded in a shot with 6:03 left in the opening quarter. Following a corner, Kopec had a shot saved by a defender at the left post. But Cagliostro was there to quickly send it in, making it a 2-1 game.
 
Drew pulled even with just under five minutes remaining in the first period. Rider came up with a steal, then broke free down the middle of the field, weaving around a pair of defenders before burying a shot from the right side.
 
Arch made it three in a row for the Rangers with 11:38 to go in the second quarter. She took a pass from graduate student Hana Johnston, cut to the right side of the box, and rifled in a shot off the keeper and into the cage to put the hosts up 3-2.
 
Eastern tied it up again with 5:17 remaining in the third quarter but the Rangers answered 41 seconds later. Cagliostro scored on a nearly identical sequence as her first goal, following her own corner pass to score following a defensive save by the Eagles to make it 4-3.
 
The visitors struck 2:35 into the final quarter, and it would remain a 4-4 game until Caporrino's heroics.
 
Angelina Catania made six saves for Eastern while sophomore Beth Kelly stopped a pair of shots for the Rangers.
 
Drew returns to action on Saturday, when it visits Susquehanna University at 1 p.m. in its Landmark Conference opener.