MEADVILLE, Pa. – An overtime penalty stroke goal by
Caroline Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty) gave the Gators a 1-0 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) overtime victory at home against Transylvania Saturday (Sept. 28).
In the first quarter, neither side was able to find a distinct advantage. The Gators earned a pair of penalty corners late in the frame but were unable to convert the opportunities as the game was scoreless heading into the second.
In the second quarter,
Rowan O'Toole (Glen Burnie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) made six saves, including three in the final minute, as the game went to halftime knotted at zero.
The Pioneers earned three corners to the Gators' two in the third quarter, but the Gator defense held tough, not allowing a goal as the game went into the fourth quarter with no score.
Bella Cowen (Louisville, Ky./Kentucky Country Day School) nearly got the Gators on the board midway through the fourth, but her shot was kicked away by the goalie. The Pioneers kept up the pressure but four more saves by O'Toole in the quarter brought the teams into overtime.
O'Toole stopped five more shots in the opening minutes of the overtime session. Smith almost ended the game on a shot off a penalty corner but was turned away.
With 1:40 left in the first overtime, the Gators earned a penalty stroke. Smith stepped up and shot to the top right corner, beating the goalie to the spot as the Gators collected the overtime conference victory.
Inside the Box
- Smith scored the overtime winner off a penalty stroke with less than two minutes left in the session.
- O'Toole finished the game with 16 saves, her second highest total of the season.
- The Gators earned six penalty corners.
News and Notes
- The Gators are now 2-0 all-time against Transylvania.
- Smith scored her second goal of the season.
- O'Toole, already the program record holder for saves in a season, eclipsed the 100 save mark as she now has 112 stops this season.
Up Next
The Gators are back in action Sunday (Sept. 29) at home against NCAC foe Wittenberg.