Box Score
GAMBIER, Ohio – As temperatures dipped downward, the heat on the field heightened with every goal scored. The Kenyon College women's soccer team was engaged in a second-half goal-scoring show with Wittenberg University on Wednesday afternoon. The Ladies' Maggie Smith led the way with two goals, including the game-winner that gave Kenyon a 3-2 win in double overtime.
After coming back from one goal down and allowing the tying score with nearly three minutes remaining in regulation, Wittenberg had an edge in momentum heading into overtime. That is when Kenyon's offense began turning it up by outshooting the Tigers 6-2 in 10:32 of overtime play. Becca Romaine nearly ended the match with less than a minute to go in the first overtime, but had her point-blank shot attempt turned away by Wittenberg goalkeeper Maggie Grieser. After turning the field around, Smith finished the job just 32 seconds into the second overtime session.
The front-line duo of Smith and Romaine made the magic happen when acquiring the ball in Tiger territory and played it forward. Romaine advanced the ball by heading it to Smith, who had the inside track to the goal. She broke away from three Wittenberg defenders. As they converged, Smith struck it well with her left foot and found the top-right corner of the Tigers' cage. It was her second goal of the match, marking her first multi-goal game of her young collegiate career.
The first half went by without a goal being scored, however Madi Kim nearly started the party early with a shot that was deflected by Grieser and nailed the far-corner post. It was one of five first-half shots for the Ladies, but the second half displayed four goals and a match that went back and forth over the full 45 minutes.
After Wittenberg's Katie Murphey headed home the first goal of the match in the 64th minute, Katie Blake retaliated shortly after with a rocket from the top of the box that was initially stopped by Grieser. The shot, however, was not fielded cleanly and proved too strong for the keeper. She and the ball fell backward into the goal.
The Ladies added another goal to take a 2-1 lead in the 72nd minute. Smith got on the board for the first time when she cleaned up a rebound off of another Romaine shot attempt. Greiser deflected the ball away, but Smith was right there to scoop it up and punch it home.
All seemed to be going the Ladies' way and a win in regulation was in sight, but the Tigers began applying additional offensive pressure and tied up the match with three minutes to go. Erin Rowell scored Wittenberg's second goal after capitalizing on a deep drive into Kenyon territory and taking a shot from nearly 10 yards out, beating Alissa Poolpol.
Both teams had additional chances to alter the course of the match, but Poolpol's play between the posts certainly kept the Ladies in the hunt for the win. Poolpol's punch save on a hot shot by MacKenzie Bolon added fuel to Kenyon's fire before taking the lead. She finished with 10 saves and acquired her first collegiate win in her second start.
To illustrate how evenly matched the contest was, only one shot and one save separated each team from one another. The only distinguishable advantage either had over the other was in corner kicks, which Wittenberg held by a 9-4 margin.
Kenyon (4-9-1, 2-3-0 NCAC) will play its final road game of the regular season at Hiram College on Oct. 26 with an 11 a.m. kickoff. The Ladies will then play their final two games at home against Ohio Wesleyan University (Oct. 29) and Oberlin College (Nov. 2).
