Women's Soccer Suffers Tough Loss in Overtime at American International
Links: Box Score
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's soccer team suffered just its second loss of the season in an overtime-heartbreaker, falling 2-1 to American International College Saturday night.
The Basics
Score: American Int'l 2, Merrimack 1
Records: Merrimack (5-2-3, 2-2-2 NE-10) | American Int'l (5-4, 4-2 NE-10)
Location: Abdow Field | Springfield, Mass.
How It Happened
The Warriors had plenty of reason to feel they were going to win this game as it progressed, but in the end they would feel the hurt of a loss for just the second time in 10 games this year. Merrimack opened the scoring in the game, when senior Jenna Savi (Dedham, Mass.) ripped a shot from 35 yards that found the back of the net, adding yet another highlight goal to her outstanding start of her final season. Sophomore Jorgi Adee (Whitinsville, Mass.) delivered the ball to Savi from midfield, picking up her first point of the season.
American International would answer with a goal just four minutes later on a free kick from 20 yards out. After the Yellow Jackets' score, the game became a back-and-forth of great defense and goalkeeping from both sides, remaining 1-1 through regulation.
With just 1:30 left in regulation, however, Savi would fire a shot from 20 yards right on net. On its way to the goal the ball appeared to be deflected by an American International defender, ricocheting and finding the top-right of the net, appearing to be another goal and another game-winner for Savi. While the Warriors were celebrating what they thought was a dagger, the refs would rule that the deflection was a handball and call back the goal, doing anything but making the Warriors happy.
In the 99th minute in the first overtime, the Yellow Jackets would score on a kick off of a throw in from the left side of the field. The shot would sneak just in between the outreached fingers of sophomore goalkeeper Molly Meehan (Fairfield,Conn.) and the crossbar, giving American International the win.
Inside The Numbers
- After a slow first half, the Warriors would outshoot the Yellow Jackets 6-4 and outnumber them in corner kicks 6-1 in the second, but were unable to capitalize on either.
- Savi's goal tonight, her fifth of the season, now has her at 18 points on the year, good enough for second in the Northeast-10 Conference. Her eight assists still lead the NE-10.
- The 2-1 win in overtime for the yellow jackets is the exact same outcome from when these two teams met last season, except last year's game was played in North Andover.
Up Next
The Warriors return to Martone-Mejail Field for a Tuesday night matchup with Southern New Hampshire at 7:00 p.m.
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