Posted: Oct 15, 2019
DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior Jess Poratti (Essex Junction, Vt.) assumed her position as this season's overtime hero, propelling the Wentworth women's soccer team to a 4-3 Commonwealth Coast Conference victory over Nichols College on Tuesday afternoon.
The Leopards, who win their third game in overtime this season, improve to 5-9-1 overall and earn their first league victory at 1-2-1. Nichols dips to 10-5 this season and 1-4 against league opponents.
SCORING
- Taylor Patitucci (Maegan Roy) – Nichols 27'
- Maegan Roy (Damiana D'Agostino) – Nichols 41'
- Abigail Meyers – Wentworth 50'
- Alexandria Rodriguez (Abigail Meyers) – Wentworth 66'
- Jess Poratti (Julie McKenna) – Wentworth 78'
- Maegan Roy (Amalia Sessomss) – Nichols 82'
- Jess Poratti (Julia Watler) – 106'
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Wentworth trailed 2-0 heading into the halftime break, as Nichols owned a 9-5 advantage in shots throughout the first 45 minutes. Junior Abigail Meyers (Leicester, Mass.) broke open the scoring for Wentworth in the 50th minute, following a set-play corner kick by senior Jess Poratti (Essex Junction, Vt.). Meyers returned the favor and set up classmate Alexandria Rodriguez (San Diego, Calif.), who struck home for her third goal of the season and brought the score to 2-2.
- In a play that started with Rodriguez on the right flank, senior Julie McKenna (West Hartford, Conn.) knocked the ball over with a quick flick to Poratti in the air, who settled and struck in the upper left corner to give Wentworth its first lead of the game, 3-2, with just over 11 minutes left in regulation. The advantage wouldn't hold for long, despite two more Wentworth attempts on goal, as Nichols answered four minutes later for the 3-3 score.
- The Leopards' defense held Nichols to just one shot on goal in the overtime segments, which was stopped by junior keeper Allison Haynes (Shelton, Conn.) In the 106th minute of play, junior Julia Watler (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) stepped up from the defensive line with a takeaway and lofted a soaring ball onto the feet of a sprinting Poratti who converted on the breakaway situation with ease for the conference win.
GOALKEEPERS
- Haynes made eight saves in net to backstop the Leopards to victory, including six in the second half.
- Olivia Marcantonio made six saves in the loss.
NOTEWORTHY
- Poratti netted the third game-winner of her senior season, and second game-winner in overtime.
- Wentworth holds a 15-6-2 all-time record over Nichols dating back to their first meeting in 1998. The win is the eighth-straight over the Bison and sixth in overtime.
NEXT
- The Leopards will face Endicott on Saturday for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff in Beverly.
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