SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - In a re-match of the 2013 North Coast Athletic Conference championship match, the Gators battled to a 1-1 draw with Wittenberg in their 2015 NCAC opener.
After
Colleen Fleming's first career goal gave the Gators a 1-0 lead with 11 minutes left in the first half, Wittenberg forced overtime with the equalizer in the game's 79th minute. Both squads had scoring opportunities through the two extra sessions, but neither could manage a game-winner over the 20 minutes of overtime.
The draw moves the Gators' record to 2-7-1 (0-0-1 NCAC), while the Tigers are now 5-4-2 (0-1-1).
In just her second career start, freshman keeper
Christina Gallagher finished with seven saves, including two over the 20 extra minutes. The Gators were out-shot 12-7 for the game, but managed a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.
The Tigers posted four of the game's first six shots over the opening 25 minutes of play, but sent just one on net, with Gallagher making her first save in the 10th minute.
The majority of play would take place in the middle third of the field over the next several minutes, until the Gators broke through to take the lead. With 10:25 left in the opening stanza, Fleming took a pass from
Sarah Donohue near the top of the box and ripped the shot into the net to make the score 1-0.
Wittenberg looked to quickly counter, but Gallagher made her second save of the half, on what proved to be the final shot of the opening frame for either team, with 9:50 until the break.
Following the intermission, the game remained a defensive battle, but Wittenberg had an edge in scoring chances over most of the second half. After taking four of the first five second half shots, the Tigers went on the offensive as regulation time wound down. With 13 minutes left, a Gator foul set up a Wittenberg free kick from 30 yards out. The attempt went into the box and defelected off of a number of bodies and caromed off the crossbar. The bounce went to the foot of Michelle Brunswick, who knocked it in to tie the game with 12:15 remaining in regulation.
With 2:48 to go, the Gator defense withstood a Wittenberg corner attempt, but a blast from Fleming on a quick rush up the field in the waning seconds would go wide, and the match would enter overtime.
Neither team was able to generate much offense over the extra 20 minutes, as the Gators and Tigers each took just two shots. Both of the Gator efforts went just wide, while Gallagher turned aside each Tiger attempt, and the game would end in a stalemate.
The Gators will return to action on Wednesday, Oct. 6, when they open a two-game homestand, while closing out the non-conference portion of their schedule, with a 4 p.m. match against Buffalo State at the Robertson Athletic Complex. The Gators will then return to NCAC play on Saturday, Oct. 10, hosting NCAC leader Denison at noon.
