Hempstead, NY - Senior Ashleigh Daniels (Bethany, CT) slammed home the game-winning goal with zero time remaining in overtime as the Pride posted a dramatic 1-0 season-opening victory over Maine Saturday afternoon at Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium.

Maine's Lelia Sacre made an athletic defensive save off a Hofstra penalty corner shot before Daniels was able to post her season's first goal to help her team win the opener of the Hofstra Pride Invitational.

Sophomore goalkeeper Amanda Heyde (Somers, NY) facilitated Daniels' late-game heroics, recording 11 saves for her second career shutout. Heyde made four second-half stops in addition to three key saves in the 15-minute overtime session. 

The Pride registered an Opening Day win for the sixth time in seven seasons. Junior Amy-Lee Levey (Harare, Zimbabwe) notched a game-high eight shots and a team-best four shots on goal. Freshman Krizia Layne also made an impact in her collegiate debut, firing off a pair of shots.

But Brittany Fleck nearly matched Heyde shot-for-shot. The Black Bears netminder made five saves and stymied 10 of Hofstra's 11 penalty corners. The Pride defense's was just as stingy, negating all 10 Maine penalty corners. 

Hofstra's victory marked the second consecutive season the team won a season opener in overtime. Charlia Warner's tally against Rider started the 2008 campaign.

Levey nearly put Hofstra on the scoreboard off a first-half penalty corner before her shot sailed above the board, forcing the potential goal to be called off. Sacre almost put Maine ahead, buzzing around the Hofstra net in racking up six shots on goal.

Daniels' goal came on her only shot of the game as the midfielder took advantage of the seven-on-seven overtime rules that open the field to more scoring chances than regulation usually provides.

Hofstra improved to 7-11 all-time against the Black Bears. Maine will play Bryant Sunday before the Pride concludes the tournament with a game against the Bulldogs Monday at 1 p.m.