Senior forward Gabby Wagabaza scored with 2:04 left in the second 8-minute overtime session Monday to lift visiting Portland to a 3-2 victory over Cheverus in a Western Class A field hockey game at Shea Field.

The Bulldogs (8-3) recovered from an early 1-0 deficit and Cheverus’ strong play to extend their win streak to five games. The Stags (5-4-2) are in the midst of a six-game winless streak after opening the season 5-0, but certainly didn’t play like it. They held the edge in shots (35-23) and penalty corners (18-9).

Cheverus’ Abby Ford makes a play on the ball during the Stags’ Western A game against Portland on Monday in Portland. The Stags took an early lead, but lost in overtime. Whitney Hayward/Staff Photographer

“We wanted to use this game to figure out what type of team we were going to be this week,” Cheverus Coach Amy Ashley said. “If we’re this team all week, I’ll be happy. We’re going in the right direction. The goal is to get into the playoffs. We just need to get in and anything can happen.”

Portland had more shots on goal (17-10) but survived thanks to clutch defending by Georgia Drew and Meggie Parker, and by timely goalkeeping by Gianna Gaudet (14 saves) and defender Alysha Alling (two saves).

Lauren McIntyre had a goal and an assist in regulation for Portland.

The Bulldogs won it when Wagabaza, who transferred from Cheverus after her sophomore year, knocked in Holly Hinchliffe’s pass from the left of Cheverus goalie Casey Simpson (seven saves).

“I saw (Hinchliffe) coming and I knew she was going to hit a cross,” Wagabaza said. “I had to be ready so we wouldn’t give (the Stags) time to get it together. It was a little extra sweet.”

Drew started the play in midfield, lofting a ball down the right sideline in Cheverus’ end.

“This was are the type of game that, when you’re not at your best but you come out on top, you see you had a little more mettle than you thought you had,” Portland Coach Beth Arsenault said. “(Hinchliffe) was relentless. She kept at it and found (Wagabaza) for a very fitting goal.”

Colleen Slattery (goal, assist) shocked the Bulldogs with a goal 1:10 into the game when she finished off a penalty corner. Abby Ford had the assist.

“Early in the first half, we weren’t really ready to play,” said Parker. “(McIntyre’s) first goal really shifted our team’s mind-set.”

McIntyre tied it about 10 minutes later, when she stripped a defender of the ball in the circle, rushed in and drove a shot into the lower left corner. McIntyre struck again two minutes later, when she placed a cross from Wagabaza inside the back post for a 2-1 lead.

Rebecca Archer led the Stags’ second-half charge and tied it 3:41 into the second half, when she redirected Slattery’s long drive just inside the back post. The Stags then had a chance to take the lead on a penalty stroke with 5:03 left in the game, but the shot was wide. Cheverus also got strong games from Emily Michaud and Hattie Train.

“I think because we wanted it so bad, we were freaking ourselves out when we shot,” Ashley said. “This was another step in the right direction. We dominated play in the second half and in overtime. But they were clutch. They finished their shots and that’s the difference right now between that team and this one.”

This story was updated at 6:45 a.m., Oct. 7, to correct the spelling of name of Holly Hinchliffe.

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