BEVERLY, Mass. – In a battle of two top three teams in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) heading into play on Wednesday night, the Endicott College women's soccer team defeated the University of New England 3-2 in overtime. With the win, Endicott is now 11-2-2 (6-1-0 CCC) while UNE drops to 9-4-1 (5-1-1 CCC).
UNE got on the board first as the Nor'Easters would capitalize on an Endicott handball call in the box to receive a penalty shot in the 28th minute. Edie Pallozzi (Windham, Maine) would tally her fifth of the season, burying the penalty shot to the bottom left corner for the 1-0 lead.
Endicott evened the score with 22:53 to go in the second half off of a beautiful fading goal by Sharlotte Pernice (West Springfield, Mass.). Larissa Cade (Middlefield, Conn.) found Pernice around 20 yards out and the junior lofted a arcing shot to the top right corner to even the score at 1-1.
The Nor'Easters countered quickly, scoring less than two minutes later as Jessica Meader (Scarborough, Maine) scored at the 68:12 mark of the match. After a quick cross from Katie Beaudoin (Coventry, R.I.) into the box, Meader's shot to the lower right corner found the back of the net to give the Nor'Easter's the 2-1 advantage.
Sophomore Lexi Burgess (Hebron, Conn.) would even the score at 2-2 in the 79th minute off a feed from Pernice. Pernice, almost from the same spot where she scored her goal 12 minutes before crossed a shot to the rear post that Burgess headed down and past the diving keeper.
The two teams would then advance to overtime to settle the match. Just 2:37 into the first overtime, Cade would send a booming corner to the back post where Rachel Hanna (Chelmsford, Mass.) was waiting to bury her header into the back of the net to seal the 3-2 Endicott win.
BEYOND THE BOX
- Endicott's regular season home slate has now come to an end as the Gulls posted a 7-1 record at Hempstead Stadium in the eight home contests. Endicott will travel to Wentworth on Saturday and Gordon on Tuesday to finish off the regular season play.
- Endicott is now 14-10-1 all-time against the University of New England as Wednesday night's overtime matchup was the first in the series since 2009.
- Burgess' goal was her second of the season, while the assist on the goal by Pernice was her team-leading fifth. The sophomore also leads the team with 21 points after her three point performance.
- Goalie Caroline Armbruster (Stowe, Vt.) made six saves in the win to improve to 11-2-1 on the season.
FOR THE FOES
- Palozzi's goal on the penalty shot gives her 15 points in 2016. The junior now has five goals and five assists on the season.
- Meader's goal in the 69th minute was her fifth of the season as she now has 12 points on the year.
- The first quality scoring chance came in the 12th minute as UNE's Devon Wolfenden (East Longmeadow, Mass.) snapped a shot from 20 yards out that hit the underside of the crossbar and ricocheted out without crossing the goal line.
- Keeper Brielle Robinson (Monson, Mass.) made five saves on the eight shots she faced to drop to 9-4-1.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott travels to Boston, Mass. to take on Wentworth on Saturday for an 12:30 p.m. start before heading across town to square off against Gordon on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. UNE travels to Bristol, R.I. on Saturday for a 12:30 p.m. start against RWU before hosting Wentworth on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. to end the regular season. For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.