Allegheny College Athletics

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio - Sophomore Jessie Thiessen's dazzling goal with 1:25 left in double overtime boosted the Gators to their first win of the season, a 1-0 triumph over John Carroll at Don Shula Stadium.

Thiessen, the reigning North Coast Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year, weaved through a trio of defenders before planting the ball past the diving keeper to the far post to notch her third career game-winning goal. 
 

The Gators (1-2) dominated statistically on the afternoon, out-shooting the Blue Streaks (0-2-1) 19-11, including a 14-3 margin in shots on goal, while also taking six corner kicks to John Carroll's three.  Allegheny Senior Gabby Curtis earned her first shutout of the season in goal,  turning away a trio of shots, including two saves over the two extra periods.

Held scoreless in two games on the season's opening weekend, the Gator offense looked strong coming out of the gates, taking four shots in the first nine minutes of play.  Minutes later, the hosts looked to grab the momentum with a pair of shots sandwiched around a corner kick in the 21st minute, but came up empty.  The Gators then responded, with a trio of scoring chances in a two-minute span.  In the 22nd minute, a rocket by Niki Augustine rang off the post, with the rebound caroming to teammate Fran Weber, who was denied by Blue Streak keeper Hayley McDonald.  Two minutes later, McDonald made saves on Tori Delzer and Augustine in a 20-second span to keep the game scoreless.  

McDonald was the story in the first half, as she posted eight saves, with the Gators tallying a 9-4 advantage in shots over the game's first 45 minutes.

Allegheny kept up the pressure to open up the second stanza, notching three shots in the first five minutes, but McDonald again kept the Gators off the board.  The Gator offense maintained possession throughout the duration of the second half, allowing a lone John Carroll shot in the 81st minute.  Allegheny saw one last chance to win in regulation, but Delzer hit the post with just over five minutes left, and the game headed into the extra session.

The Gators looked to end it early in the first overtime, but McDonald again came up big, denying Jaymee Wallace and Sierra Beaty from close range in the opening 50 seconds.    John Carroll embarked on its first sustained possession midway through the extra session, but Curtis made her biggest save of the game, stopping a one-on-zero breakaway attempt to preserve the tie and send the game into a second overtime.

Allegheny opened the second extra session with a pair of corner kicks in the first two minutes, but were unable to end it.  With just under three minutes left, Curtis made her third save of the game, and the Gators embarked on a rush up field.  Thiessen gathered the ball just outside the 18-yard box, weaved her way through a host of defenders to within two yards of the net, and guided the shot past a diving McDonald and into the far corner of the net to end the game.

Eleven different players were credited with a shot for Allegheny in the win, led by four from Layman and three apiece by Delzer and Augustine.  McDonald finished with 13 saves for the Blue Streaks.  

Allegheny will return to action on Friday, traveling to Columbus, Ohio to take part in the two-day Fort Rapids Invitational, hosted by Capital University.  The Gators will kick off the tourney under the lights with a 6 p.m. match against Baldwin Wallace.