SELINSGROVE, Pa. - Susquehanna University rallied to force overtime with less than two minutes left in regulation, then scored a golden goal midway through the second OT to hand the Drew University women's soccer team a tough 2-1 loss in Landmark Conference (LC) action Saturday afternoon.
The setback sends the Rangers to 5-4-1 (0-1-1 LC) on the year while the River Hawks improve to 4-4 (1-1 LC).
Sophomore midfielder
Rebecca Racine opened up the scoring with the most improbable of goals in minute 37.
Going toe-to-toe with one of Susquehanna's defenders on the outer edge of the box, Racine was in danger of losing possession as two more River Hawks had begun to surround her. With the smallest of windows, however, she managed to get a shot off that somehow made it through all three defenders and landed just out of reach of the goalkeeper in the right corner of the net. The goal was Racine's Landmark Conference-leading eighth of the season.
For a while, it looked like this was the only offense Drew would need to close out the match.
In her first start of the season, freshman goalkeeper
Amina Cirkiel had done an excellent job keeping Susquehanna off the board despite a constant attack. Facing 24 shots, Cirkiel ended the day with an impressive 10 saves, more than doubling her season total. It was the most saves by a Ranger keeper since Sarah Nash C'16 stopped 14 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss to SUNY Brockport on Aug. 29, 2014.
Unfortunately for the Rangers, the River Hawks finally managed to sneak one through in the closing minutes of regulation, as Marley Clendenin scored off a corner kick to break up the shutout.
In overtime, things seemed destined to end in a tie as both teams failed to put a shot on frame in the first extra session. But with just under five minutes left in the second overtime, Susquehanna took advantage of a Drew foul and put the game away on a goal from Samantha Chillis.
The Rangers will return home next week when they take on William Paterson University on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in a non-conference tilt.
