SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Freshman Federica Frew (Melbourne, Austrailia) potted the Golden Goal in the 99th minute to lead American International College past Merrimack College, 2-1, in Northeast-10 women's soccer action this evening from Abdow Field.
With the win AIC improves to 5-4 on the year and 4-1 in the league while Merrimack falls to 5-2-3 overall and 2-2-2 in the NE-10.
The Warriors grabbed the early 1-0 advantage as sophomore Jorgi Adee (Whitinsville, Mass.) pass from the midfield to senior Jenna Savi (Dedham, Mass.) who lifted a shot from 35 yards out that sailed over the keeper and under the crossbar in the 8th minute.
The Jackets had a quick answer as after a foul from just outside the box, senior Romina Bell (Stockerau, Austria) laced the free kick from 21 yards out beating the keeper to the near side right post for the 1-1 tie in the 12th minute.
Senior Alyssa Werbicki (Chicopee, Mass.) had a great bid to tilt the score in the favor of AIC, but her bid clanked the crossbar in the 24th minute keeping the game equal.
Junior Merissa Phipps (Monson, Mass.) almost had a good bid to give AIC the lead late in the first half as she collected the ball on the left side and raced into the box to lace a shot toward the far post that sailed just wide and out of harm's way in the 40th minute.
Merrimack had a great bid to grab the lead in the second half as senior Deirdre Roberts (Melrose, Mass.) found Savi in the box and she fired far post, but graduate student Rachel Edgin (Whitesboro, N.Y.) made a diving save to her left in the 54th minute keeping the score 1-1.
Freshman Johanna Nilsson (Ulricehamn, Sweden) had a golden chance to grab the lead for the Jackets as she corralled a rebounded ball in the box and sent it on net, but it was turned aside in the 79th minute.
Savi almost sealed the game in the 89th minute as she sent a ball on goal from the box that found the back of the net but the Warriors were whistled for offside and the goal was null and void and the game needed extra time.
It was the Phipps in the first overtime who thought she had the game-winning score, but she had it taken away from her on an offside call after junior Jessica Margaretta's (Coloniers, France) initial shot hit the crossbar in the 104th minute.
"The biggest thing was just letting them calm down and realize those are calls we cannot control. We just needed to settle down and keep our composure and that's what we did" commented head coach Kevon Isa.
AIC did just that and kept fighting though after they regained composure and on a throw in from junior Brianna Kenney (Longmeadow, Mass.) to Frew the rookie spun her defender and blasted a shot over the head of the keeper for her first collegiate goal, the Golden Goal, in the 99th minute for the 2-1 victory.
"I just saw space in front of me and the goal, about a minute left in overtime so I figured why not give it a go" Frew mentioned.
Edgin stopped six shots on the night to push her record to 5-4 while her counterpart, senior Meghan Gulbrandsen (Haverhill, Mass.), made one save in the first half before being relieved by sophomore Molly Meehan (Fairfield, Conn.) who stopped two shots in the setback and falls to 2-2-2 on the year.
The hosts outshot the visitors 21-11 while Merrimack led in corner kicks 7-4.
AIC remains home to battle Saint Michael's in their next contest on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. on the turf of Ronald J. Abdow Field.
