Last Minute Goal Lifts Falcons Over Saints, 3-2 in Double OT

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College women's soccer team scored three unanswered goals to pick up a 3-2 double-overtime win over Emmanuel (Mass.) College on Saturday evening.

Haley Andrews (Prospect, Conn.) scored the game-winner in double OT on an assist from Erina Ismaili (Middlebury, Conn.), securing the dramatic come-from-behind win for the blue-and-white.

THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus Magnus 3 | Emmanuel (Mass.) 2
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (5-4, 3-3 GNAC) | Emmanuel (2-6-2, 1-4 GNAC)
BOX SCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED
Emmanuel was the first to strike within the first 17 minutes of play. Sophia Chirigotis (Merrimac, Mass.) gave the visitors the 1-0 edge early after netting her third goal of the season, unassisted. Two minutes later, the Saints struck again from Katherine Dufour (Middletown, R.I.), who used a feed from Bailey Maurer (Florence, Mass.) to give the visitors a two-goal advantage.

Less than a minute later, Albertus' Katherine Raposo (Warwick, R.I.) countered with her second shot attempt of the evening, but Emmanuel's Annie Costello (Winchester, Mass.) made a diving save to stop the shot and keep the Falcons off the scoreboard.

Despite numerous shot attempts from the Saints, Albertus managed to cut the deficit to one, 2-1, at the 29th minute as a foul inside the box by Emmanuel forced a penalty kick for Albertus. After taking a few deep breaths and the sound of the whistle, Andrews took a low shot attempt in the corner that went past Costello for her third goal of the season.

The game's momentum began to pick up in the second half as both teams fought till the end. Emmanuel continued to put Albertus keeper Michelle Mecca (Greenwood Lake, N.Y.) to work as the visitors outshot Albertus, 10-6, in the second half.

Albertus had numerous scoring attempts throughout the stanza from Raposo, Andrews, and Ashley Shaw (Milford, Conn.). However, the 86th minute proved significant, as Shaw finally found gold, slipping one past the Saints' keeper and netting her first goal of the season to send the game into overtime.

Albertus carried that momentum into the extra period, rallying off two quick shot attempts from Raposo and Ismaili, but it wasn't enough as Raposo's shot was high, and Costello saved Ismaili's shot. So despite the two shots from Emmanuel, both teams would head into the final overtime period deadlocked at 2-2.

With time running out, the Falcons called upon their last reserves of strength, ripping off three straight shots that Costello blocked to keep the score knotted at 2-all. The Saints responded with a shot attempt, but Mecca smothered the attempt, denying the Saints the score. Fifteen seconds later, Andrews and Ismaili took matters into their own hands. Ismaili intercepted a Saints pass and streaked up the field before feeding a cross-field pass to Andrews, who wasted no time, blasting an unstoppable shot into the back corner of the net to secure the Falcons' overtime victory.

BETWEEN THE PIPES
Albertus: Michelle Mecca (W 5-4) - 13 Shots on Goal | 2 Goals-Against | 11 Saves
Emmanuel: Annie Costello (L 0-1) - 10 Shots on Goal | 3 Goals-Against | 7 Saves

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The Saints narrowly held the edge in shots, ripping off 22 shots to the Falcons' 20.
• Emmanuel held the advantage in corner kicks, topping Albertus by a 7-2 margin.
• Albertus had a better game between the pipes, stopping 12 shots to the Saints' 7.
• Emmanuel totaled 16 fouls, while the Falcons were whistled for nine fouls.

NOTEWORTHY

• Andrews' multi-goal game gave her 25 goals for a career.
• Mecca picked up her fifth career win in the net and tallied her third match this season with 10-plus saves.
• This is Andrews' fourth game-winner in her career.
• Tonight's victory is the 125th of Coach Wajnowski's career.
• Shaw scored her first career goal in the contest.

UP NEXT

• The Saints are back in action on Tuesday night as they welcome Anna Maria to Clemente Field for a 7:00 p.m. match.

*Portions of this release courtesy Albertus Magnus Athletic Communciations