Endicott Defeats Castleton 2-1 in 2OT on Prisco's Game-Winner

BEVERLY, Mass. - The Endicott women's soccer team edged out Castleton 2-1 in double overtime on Saturday afternoon. With the win, Endicott improves to 4-3-4 overall while Castleton falls to 3-7-0 on the season.

Playing for the second time in less than 24 hours, the Gulls were dominant again, out-shooting the Spartans 23-8 in the match, including a 9-2 edge in shots on goal. 

Endicott opened the match being aggressive offensively as the Gulls saw Mary Verneris (Hamden, Conn.) force Castleton keeper Loren Henderson (Rutland, Vt.) to make two saves before the 10 minute mark. Verneris would break through in the 33rd minute when she received a feed from Claire Shields (Latham, N.Y.) in the middle of the box, right on her feet. With a quick stop, Verneris was able to turn and shoot the ball to the lower left corner to give the Gulls the 1-0 lead.

The 1-0 lead would hold true to the end of the half as Endicott recorded an 11-3 advantage in shots, with an 8-1 edge in shots on goal.

The second half would play out similarly as the Gulls kept pushing forward, but it was the Spartans that would produce the only tally of the half. Julia Carone (Castleton, Vt.) was able to make a long run and find Makenzi Bellando (Carver, Mass.) in the middle of the pitch towards the box. Bellando was able to lob a long shot over Endicott's Kayla Wentworth (Taunton, Mass.) and into the net to knot the score up at 1-1 in the 84th minute.

Without a goal in the remaining six minutes of regulation, the two squads would head to overtime. Despite out-shooting the Spartans 4-2, no offense would come in the first 10 minutes of extra play and the two teams would head to a second overtime. That was where, just two minutes into the frame, Gabriella Prisco (West Haven, Conn.) would score the game-winner, for her third tally of the season. Hannah Pesci (Windham, N.H.) was able to find Prisco making a cut in the box and the sophomore was able to make a sliding shot that beat Henderson to give Endicott the 2-1 win.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Prisco's goal, her third of the season, set a new career-best mark as she scored twice as a freshman in 2017.
• For the 10th time in 11 matches this season, the Endicott defense held the opponent to one goal or less. Through 11 matches, the Gulls have allowed just eight goals.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott, now 4-3-4 (2-0-1 CCC), gets back to action on Friday when they play host to CCC rival Roger Williams at 4:00 PM. Castleton returns to play tomorrow when they host Williams at 1:00 PM.

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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)