MILTON, Mass. – The Curry College women's soccer team defeated Salve Regina University, 1-0 in overtime in their first Commonwealth Coast Conference game of the season on Saturday morning at the Walter M. Katz Field. With the win Curry remains undefeated improving to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the CCC. The Seahawks fell to 2-3 on the season and 0-1 in the CCC.
The teams battled each other to a scoreless first half. Salve held the slight advantage in shots at 10-6. The Colonels goaltender Morgan Stott (Dartmouth, Mass.) was solid between the pipes stopping six of the Seahawks 10 shots. She made a great diving save midway through the half on a hard strike by Salve's Abby McMackin (Walpole, Mass.). Curry's Taylor Evans (Middleton, Mass.) had her team's best effort when she was alone inside the 18-yard box but shot into the gloves of Carly Pala (Milford, Mass.).
Second half was similar to the first with both teams fighting for their first conference win of the season. Shots were even at nine with Curry landing six and Salve four. Stott was outstanding in net coming up with some tough saves. The squads finished the 90 minutes tied at zero sending them into overtime.
After regulation, the Colonels finished with 15 shots, 10 on net and three corner kicks. The Seahawks finished with 19 shots, 10 on net and five corner kicks.
It wasn't until the 96:48th minute mark that Curry earned the win and first conference victory on the season also leaving them undefeated. Late in OT Stott made a save off a corner kick that left both teams questioning if the ball went over the goal line for a score. With both teams still around the Colonel's defensive area, Stott not hearing a whistle, ran up the field with the ball punting it to a wide open Kaitlyn Lima (New Bedford, Mass.). Lima went one-on-one with Pala but was unsuccessful with getting the tally. That however gave Curry some momentum and just minutes later the Colonels Kelly Parker (Branford, Conn.) was awarded a corner kick. The ball was kicked out of the Seahawks defensive end but Karley Hodge (Belchertown, Mass.) collected it sending it to the foot of Briana Fitzsimmons (East Haven, Conn.) who was alone inside the box. Fitzsimmons received the pass, turned and one-timed it into the back of the net for the overtime triumph.
The Colonels finished with 18 shots and four corner kicks. The Seahawks finished with 22 shots and six corner kicks.
Stott made 12 impressive saves for her fourth consecutive win in net. Pala made a notable 12 stops in goal in the loss.
Curry returns to action on Tuesday, September 15 when they travel to Clark University in a 7:00 p.m. game start. Salve Regina returns to action when they travel to Gordon College on September 19 in a 12:00 p.m. start.
