Babson Comes Back, Beats Women's Soccer in Double OT

Box Score

BEVERLY, Mass. – Despite dominating in shots and taking a first half lead, the Endicott women's soccer team was unable to hold on and fell 2-1 to Babson College Tuesday night in dramatic fashion. Avika Shah's (Scotch Plains, N.J.) goal with 1:41 left in the second overtime period sank the Gulls and completed a Babson come-back in non-conference action at Endicott Stadium.

Freshman Jessica DiPhilippo (Falmouth, Maine) assisted on both of the goals for Babson, who improves their record to 6-1-1. The Gulls fall to 5-3 and suffer their second non-conference loss in overtime.

Endicott dominated the first half of play, posting fifteen shots (seven on goal) in the first forty-five minutes while holding the Beavers without a shot attempt. Colleen Pepin (Fairhaven, Mass.) had four of her seven shots in the first fifteen minutes, with the fourth one finding the back of the net for her team-leading eighth goal of the season.

With Endicott constantly pressuring in the offensive end, a long throw taken by junior Chelsea Garlock (Meriden, Conn.) found the head of classmate Micaela Hogan (Salisbury, Mass.). The midfielder flicked the ball on to Pepin, who was running into the box, and the senior captain tucked it away past Babson keeper Lisa Wojnar (Bellaire, Texas) to put the Blue and Green in front just before the quarter hour mark. Garlock and Hogan each picked up their first assists of the season on the play.

The second half featured more level play on both sides and the visitors evened the score ten minutes in. DiPhillippo got deep into the offensive box on the right side of net and crossed the ball from almost the goal line, but found Stefani Paulinelli (Weston, Fla.) waiting in front of the cage. The sophomore midfielder finished the ball from point blank range for her second goal of the season.

As the game looked headed for a draw late in the second overtime, DiPhillipo grabbed the ball on the right side again. This time it was Shah waiting in front, and the freshman got her first collegiate goal when she found the top corner of the Endicott net. For DiPhillipo, the two helpers were her first of the year.

Pepin and Nicole Fournier (Milford, Mass.) each had four shots on goal for the Gulls, who outshot Babson 26-10 and 5-3 in the overtime periods. The visitors only registered three shots on goal, but two of them got by sophomore keeper Natalie Wyrsch (Dover, N.H.), who took the loss in net for Endicott. Wojnar withstood a flurry of Endicott chances and made 11 stops to earn the win.

The Gulls will return to conference play (2-0 CCC) on Saturday evening when they host local rival Gordon College. The kickoff is set for 7:00 pm. Babson will also play a conference match (1-0) Saturday when they travel to New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foe Smith College (1:00 pm).