(Release Courtesy of Emmanuel Sports Information)
BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College Women's Soccer Team put together a late second-half rally, coming from behind to top the visiting Leopards of Wentworth Institute of Technology, 3-2, in a local non-conference rivalry played at Roberto Clemente Field on Thursday night. The Saints scored a pair of second-half goals in a four-minute span to knot the contest at 2-all. Emmanuel freshman Bethany Avila (Swansea, Mass.) then netted the game-winner with just 39 seconds remaining in regulation to secure the win for the Saints.
The Saints entered tonight's game having defeated Wentworth in four of the last five meetings between these two Colleges of the Fenway teams. The hard-fought come-from-behind and much-needed win for the Saints improved Emmanuel's record to 2-3 on the season. This was the first loss of the season for the Leopards, who drop to 1-1-1 on the year.
After a half hour of scoreless play to open the night, Wentworth put one on the scoreboard when Taryn Doherty (Marshfield, Mass.) scored from Lucy Brown (Plainville, Conn.). The first half ended with the Leopards holding a 1-0 lead and out-shooting the Saints, 7-5 in the opening stanza.
Second half action featured another quick goal by the visitors, when Jess Kruger (Belmont, N.H.) scored at 59:31 off an assist from Deborah Lesky (Newton, Mass.) at 32:29, giving Wentworth a two-goal lead.
Momentum clearly shifted to the hosts, as Emmanuel began to out-shoot Wentworth in the second half. Intensity mounted for the trailing Saints, but freshman Kristen Baker (Portland, Me.) netted her first collegiate goal at 71:14 to cut the Emmanuel deficit to one. Baker's goal came off a pass from junior Logan Carr (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.).
Carr would then tack on the equalizer, as she sent a penalty kick past a diving Jess Gardner (Wilbraham, Mass.) under four minutes later. With the game knotted a 2-all and fifteen minutes remaining, both teams began playing with a clear sense of urgency.
As the clock ticked away, it appeared that overtime was imminent. However, Avila's heroics came at 89:21, when the rookie booted a rocket from 35 yards out that cruised over the hands of a leaping Gardner, solidifying the win for Emmanuel. Avila's game-winner was the first goal of the mid-fielder's collegiate career.
Emmanuel's sophomore goal keeper Jessica D'Ottavio (Pawling, N.Y.) made some great stops in net for the Saints, including stifling a penalty kick by the Leopards in the opening frame. D'Ottavio finished with nine saves, while Gardner made eight stops for the Leopards.
