Cardinals Slip Past Titans In Double Overtime
A battle of regionally ranked women's soccer teams was settled during the second overtime session as North Central College (Ill.) defeated UW-Oshkosh, 3-2, Wednesday (Sept. 22) in Naperville, Ill.
Sarah Andrey scored the winning goal for the Cardinals on a 14-yard kick to the left corner of the net just 96 seconds (101:36) into the second overtime period. Andrey's goal, her second of the contest, followed a pass from Kily Egan.
North Central College (5-3-1) entered the match ranked fourth in Region VIII and UW-Oshkosh (7-2) eighth in Region IX of the NCAA Division III by the United Soccer Coaches. The Titans won the only previous meeting between the teams, a 5-1 result during the 2019 season.
Egan scored Wednesday's first goal, a 4-yard deflection, off a crossing pass from Olivia Hurt during the 15th minute (14:02) of activity.
UW-Oshkosh answered back in the game's 33rd minute (32:35) as Alyssa Gunderson rebounded Mackenzie Bennett's 7-yard kick off North Central College goalkeeper Riley Lindsey with a 2-yard scoring tap. The goal was Gunderson's second of the season.
With less than two minutes remaining in the first half (43:03) Andrey put North Central College ahead 2-1 on an unassisted 24-yard kick.
The Cardinals held their one-goal advantage until UW-Oshkosh's Piper Green converted a penalty kick after being tripped by Lindsey in the box during the contest's 58th minute (57:10). The goal was Green's third of the season and the 1,000 in the 28-year history (529 games) of the UW-Oshkosh women's soccer program.
Mallory Knight just missed giving the Titans a 3-2 lead when she beat Lindsey on a one-on-one move and had her 15-yard kick bounce off the right post during the game's 72nd minute (71:28).
UW-Oshkosh attempted 12 shots in the match, including six in the second half and five in the first. Knight paced the Titans with six shots while Alayna Clark had three.
North Central College launched seven of their 14 shots in the second half and five in the first. Andrey, Egan, and Kaitlyn Cannon owned a team-leading three shots apiece for the Cardinals.
UW-Oshkosh goalkeeper Erin Toomey played all 101:36 of the match and saved four shots. She tallied three of her saves in the second half.
Jordan Boyd started at goalkeeper for the Cardinals and saved two shots before being replaced by Lindsey in the 24th minute of action. Lindsey allowed both goals and saved five shots, four in the second half.
UW-Oshkosh is off until it visits Fox Valley rival Lawrence University on Monday (Sept. 27).
Photo by Terri Cole