EAST BOSTON, Mass. – After answering an early Suffolk University goal with one of its own later in the first half, Regis College maintained a tie through regulation before finally scoring again midway through the first overtime period to defeat the Rams, 2-1, Saturday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's soccer match at James A. Sartori Stadium.
Down 1-0 after a Suffolk goal in the eighth minute, Regis was patient with the ball when it had possession, and it finally paid off in the 31st minute as Brianna Gaynor (Peabody, Mass.) scored her first goal of the season to tie the match at 1-1. Later in the first half, Emma Mendes (Pawtucket, R.I.) created three scoring chances, but two of her shots were turned away by Suffolk starting goalie Julia Fieldsend while the third sailed wide.
Suffolk (0-3, 0-1 GNAC) changed goalies at halftime, bringing Allison Rodrigues in between the pipes while Regis stayed with starting keeper Angie Caldwell (Goffstown, N.H.). The Pride threatened to score early in the second half, but Rodrigues was able to stop shots by Katharine Ives (Arlington, Mass.) and Alexandra Maher (Reading, Mass.).
Late in the second half, the Rams had an opportunity to take the lead, but Caldwell prevented Caleigh O'Brien's shot from getting past her. The Pride responded in the final four minutes of regulation, but shots by Kaylee Francis (Millis, Mass.) and Kerri Urquhart (Burlington, Mass.) were turned away by Rodrigues, bringing about the extra session.
Both goalies were challenged early in the overtime, as Payton Fitzgerald (Danielson, Conn.) was able to get a shot off in the second minute of the period for Regis, followed by Suffolk's Addisyn Lanza, the goal scorer for the Rams in the first half, being denied by Caldwell in the fifth minute. Rachel Kelly (Whitman, Mass.) was able to slip a shot past Rodrigues with exactly four minutes left in the extra period to end the contest in Regis's favor.
Regis outshot Suffolk, 22-11, led by Mendes, Kelly, and Noelle Garcia (Los Angeles, Calif.) with four shots apiece. Fieldsend made five saves in the first half while Rodrigues ended up with seven saves in 51 minutes of play. Caldwell played a career-high 96 minutes, making four saves to earn her second victory in as many matches.
Regis (3-1, 1-0 GNAC) returns home for two GNAC contests over the next week, welcoming Saint Joseph's College Wednesday, Sept. 12, for a 7 p.m. kickoff and University of St. Joseph next Saturday, Sept. 15, for a 2:30 p.m. start at Regis Stadium.