New Haven, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College women's soccer team dropped a heartbreaker, 2-1, in overtime to visiting St. Joseph (Conn.) on Wednesday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action at Celentano Field. With the loss, the Falcons move to 4-5-2 overall and 2-2 in conference play, while the Blue Jays improve to 4-5 on the year and 2-2 in league tilts.
The visitors wasted little time getting on the board in the extra frame, as freshman forward Annmarie Masayda netted her first collegiate marker just 15 seconds into play. Off a throw in just inside the Blue Jays side of the field, Masayda collected the ball on her feet and beat the Falcon defender marking her to create space. Once inside the box, she fired a shot that beat Falcon senior goalkeeper Maria Case (West Haven, Conn.) for the game-winner.
St. Joseph opened the scoring just over 11 minutes into regulation courtesy of senior midfielder Sara Barnick's third tally of the season. Off a cross from near the corner area, Barnick gathered the ball 20 yards outside the box and took a shot that ended up in the lower right of the net just past a diving Case. Senior forward Jaclyn Steeves set the play up nicely with the cross to earn her first assist of the fall.
Fourteen minutes later, the Falcons had a golden opportunity to knot the game at one. Albertus senior forward Acacia Nelson (Bridgeport, Conn.) found the ball on her feet with no one between her and the goal following an errant goal kick by Blue Jay senior keeper Melissa Dodge. Nelson raced in towards the net and ripped a shot that was turned aside on a nice diving effort by Dodge to keep the guests up 1-0.
Later in the opening half, Albertus Magnus broke through to tie the game thanks to a strike from junior midfielder Danielle Polvan (East Haven, Conn.). Polvan beat a Blue Jay defender with some fancy footwork and fired a shot from 10-yards outside the box that finished in the upper 90 in the 36th minute.
Following Polvan's tally, neither team was able to break through and the two in-state rivals entered halftime tied at one.
In the second half, both teams had point-blank scoring chances and both times shots clanked off the crossbar. In the 81st minute, Albertus sophomore midfielder Victoria Lavery (West Haven, Conn.) sent a cross into the penalty area that freshman Alexya Alves (Naugatuck, Conn.) headed off the crossbar. Late in regulation, a through ball sent Masayda in on a breakaway and Case left her line. Masayda's first shot was stopped by Case with a diving effort and she fired the rebound off the crossbar.
In net, Case made five saves in a losing effort for the Falcons. On the opposite end, Dodge made five stops to hear her fourth win of the autumn.
The physical contest saw 25 fouls called and a pair of yellow cards handed out.
This was the second straight contest between the teams that was decided by one goal in overtime.
Albertus Magnus returns to action this Saturday, Oct. 3 with a home conference clash versus Saint Joseph's (Me.) at 1:00 p.m.