Posted: Mar 28, 2021
WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Wilmington women's soccer team battled through windy conditions to defeat Marietta College 1-0 in overtime on Sunday afternoon. In the Fightin' Quakers' fourth overtime contest in five games, Elizabeth Matthews scored the golden goal with just over a minute left in the first overtime to vault Wilmington to 2-1-2 and send the Pioneers to 0-4-1.
"Great team effort today," Head Women's Soccer Coach Steve Spirk said. "We believed that we would score, and we did. We continue to improve and get better as a team."
Wilmington held a 9-4 edge in shots in the first 45 minutes with the best chance to score coming in the 18th minute. Taylor Huffman ran onto a through ball in the box and attempted to flick it in net, but a charging Katie Conkle, Marietta's starting goalkeeper, made the save. Five minutes later, the Pioneers' best chance to score in the game came along. Kaylie Ward took a couple of dribbles to her right and fired a low shot from just outside the box directed towards the far post. Quaker netminder, Lauren Galloway, quickly ranged to her left and made the save.
The second half, with wind continuing to play a factor, was played much more defensively with the hosts taking four shots and visitors taking two. Heading into overtime, a place Wilmington has been comfortable with. The Quakers fired four shots to the Pioneers' zero. The fourth one, off the foot of Matthews, beat Conkle for the game-winner.
Galloway earned the win shutout victory, making three saves in just under 99 minutes in goal. Conkle saved 5-of-6 shots she saved and took the loss despite that performance.
Wilmington, which held a 17-6 shots advantage as well as an 8-1 disparity in earned corner kicks, was led by Huffman's six shots. Haley Fulton took four while Grace Storck and Mackenzie Weaver both fired two.
Ward took two of Marietta's four shots in defeat.
