SAINTS OVERTAKE MONKS, 3-2, IN O.T. THRILLER

SCARBOROUGH, Me. – Emmanuel College (6-4-1, 3-2-1 GNAC) fought back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Saint Joseph's (4-3-1, 1-3-1 GNAC) by a 3-2 margin in overtime in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's soccer action at the Kippy Mitchell Sports Complex on Sunday evening.

An own goal following a Saint Joseph's defensive lapse in the 88th minute would force an overtime frame, and Emmanuel freshman Katelyn Fink (Sanford, Maine) netted the game-winner off a threaded lead pass from Meghan Zerba (Cumberland, R.I.) in the 97th minute.

With first-half goals from Megen Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.) and Doe Leckie (Naples, Maine), the Monks held a two-goal lead until Saints junior Lindsey Garvey (Warwick, R.I.) put a shot past SJC keeper Jaci Lorenzen (Windham, Maine) in the 66th minute.

Despite tremendous second-half pressure from the visitors, it seemed the Monks would hold on to a 2-1 victory, but the SJC backline misplayed a high-bouncing ball as the sphere took an awkward bounce off a defender and ended up in the back of the net, tying the contest at two-apiece with three minutes remaining.

The Pollini goal, scored off a Catherine Murch (West Baldwin, Maine) pass, was the result of a booming kick from 30 yards out at midfield. In space, the freshman back lofted the shot beyond the reach Emmanuel netminder Jessica D'Ottavio (Pawling, N.Y.) to put the Monks on top 15:13 after the opening whistle.

Freshman midfielder Hannah Leblanc (Andover, Mass.) set up Leckie's score with a tremendous individual effort, as the first-year won a 1v1 play down the left sideline and delivered an odd-angle pass to her sophomore teammate. Leckie, sprinting down the middle of the pitch, found the pass near the goalmouth and finished the play with a one-timer to the right corner, making it a 2-0 game in favor of the hosts with 5:47 remaining in the opening stanza.

Lorenzen, quite busy on this night, made nine saves in a losing effort while D'Ottavio stopped two of the four shots she faced for the Saints.

The teams played even in the first half - 7-7 in shots and 2-2 in corner kicks - but Emmanuel was a different team in the second period, when the visitors held a 13-2 lead in shots and a 4-1 advantage in corners. The Saints were flagged for nine fouls on the evening, while the Monks were slapped with 14 fouls in the conference contest.
With the loss, Saint Joseph's falls to 2-6 in the history of the series with Emmanuel College and has now dropped six consecutive games to the Saints, a streak that dates back to the 2007 campaign.

Both teams return to play with home games versus GNAC opponents, as Saint Joseph's hosts Albertus Magnus on Wednesday at 3:30 PM and Emmanuel faces off against Johnson & Wales on Tuesday at 7:00 PM.

- Courtesy of Saint Joseph's College Sports Information