UR's
Allyssa Abel scored the game winner with four seconds left in the second overtime to life the University of Rochester women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over St. John Fisher Tuesday night.
The goal was scored after senior defender
Alaina Wayland centered a ball in front of the box to junior Grace Van der Ven. After settling the ball, Van der Ven sent the ball to Abel who was charging toward the net and then fired a strike from 25 yards out into the top left corner of the net. The goal came four seconds before the game would have been declared a tie.
The game was played very evenly, with both teams earning chances and controlling possession. The first good scoring chance in the game came courtesy of Van der Ven in the 31st minute; she dribbled around the Fisher defense and fired a shot right on net at SJFC keeper Jessica Plukas. Van der Ven again came close to a goal in the 39th minute when her corner kick came right to the keeper who punched the chance away.
20 minutes into the second half, Rochester (2-6) got two more opportunities to get on the board, but both chances were foiled by the Cardinal defense. First,
Morgan O'Brien's shot was blocked and then Plukas made a save on
Ashley Hunt in front of the net.
Rachel Wesley of UR had another chance to break the deadlock with 16 minutes to go, but her hard turn around shot was turned away by Plukas in net. The senior net minder made 11 saves in the losing effort. She then turned away two more solid chances in the 78th minute when
Hayley Engel was stopped twice.
St. John Fisher (3-3-3) got one of its best chances thwarted by an offside's call in the 83rd minute. The score remained 0-0 in regulation.
In the first overtime, the Yellowjackets
Heather Alico looked for the game winner 3:30 in, but Plukas once again held strong and made the save.
UR goalie
Bridget Lang then had to make a tough save three minutes into the second OT when Fisher's Alex Rohloff fired a shot right on net, looking for the winning goal. Lang stood tall and kept the Cardinals off the board.
With less than a minute to go, Rochester really pressed hard and picked up the tempo looking for the win. There, UR was able to generate the chance that ended in Abel's hard strike into the back of the net. This was the fourth Rochester game to go to an extra period.
In the goals, both keepers were outstanding, with UR's Lang made five saves, Plukas making 11. The shutout is Lang's second on the season.
Rochester next plays host to 20th ranked Brandeis University on Saturday night in the UAA conference opener for both teams.
