BLACKSBURG, Va. – Kristin Player notched the tying goal in the 85th minute to force overtime, then netted the golden goal just over three minutes into the extra frame as UNC Greensboro topped Duquesne 2-1 at the Hilton Garden Hokie Classic on Sunday.
Player's goal with just 5:11 left in regulation rallied the Spartans (3-4) from a 1-0 deficit, forcing the extra period. The junior from Placentia, Calif., took a pass from Cat Barnekow and deposited it into the left corner for her second goal of the season. Casey Godwin also picked up an assist on the play.
Player wasn't done with the late-game heroics. Just 3:06 into the sudden-death overtime, Katie Evans played a ball up to Jen Rincon, who flicked the ball on to Player. Player finished it, giving UNCG the win in its first overtime game of the season.
Duquesne (3-4) got its lone goal in the 65th minute, when leading scorer Samantha Kaiser converted a Gia Marino pass to give the Dukes a 1-0 lead.
Kaiser nearly had her second goal in the 69th minute, but her shot hit the crossbar, keeping it a one-score contest.
UNCG keeper Kelsey Kearney picked up the win in the net, making eight saves, one off her season high. Duquesne's Gabby Morrin, who had posted two straight shutouts entering the game, made two saves in the losing effort.
The Dukes outshot UNCG 6-2 in the first half, but the Spartans stepped up their offensive presence in the second, holding a 9-6 edge in shots after intermission. Shots were tied at 12 for the contest, with Player's goal accounting for the only shot in overtime for either team.
Kearney had a busy opening period, making saves on all six Duquesne shots in the first half.
Freshman Tabitha Padgett forced Morrin's lone save in the first half, while Jen Bronson forced another in the 66th minute, just after Kaiser's goal. Bronson had a busy 10-minute span, getting off a pair of corner kicks and three shots from the 56th-66th minutes.
The Spartans host High Point on Thursday in their final non-conference game of the season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at UNCG Soccer Stadium.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro (3-4-0) vs. Duquesne (3-4-0)
Date: Sep 13, 2009 Attendance: 50
Weather: 73 degrees, variable clouds
Goals by period 1 2 OT Tot
UNC Greensboro 0 1 1 2
Duquesne 0 1 0 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1 64:03 DUQ Samantha Kaiser (4) (Gia Marino)
2 84:49 UNCG Kristin Player (2) (Casey Godwin;Cat Barnekow)
3 93:06 UNCG Kristin Player (3) (Katie Evans;Jen Rincon)
Shots: UNC Greensboro 12, Duquesne 12
Saves: UNC Greensboro 8 (Kelsey Kearney 8), Duquesne 2 (MORRIN,Gabby 2)
Corner kicks: UNC Greensboro 9, Duquesne 5
Fouls: UNC Greensboro 7, Duquesne 7
- UNCG -
