Women's Soccer Falls in Double Overtime to Salve Regina, 3-2

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Junior Kaitlyn Birrell (Hope, R.I.) scored a pair of goals including the game-winner in the second overtime period to lift the visiting Salve Regina University women's soccer team to a 3-2 victory over Bridgewater State in non-conference action on Tuesday afternoon in Bridgewater.

The Seahawks improve to 8-2 overall on the season while Bridgewater slips to 4-5.

Birrell notched the game-winner in the 102nd minute as she rifled a shot from 20 yards out that deflected off the outstretched hand of BSU sophomore netminder Kerry Condon (Whitman, Mass.) and into the back of the net.

Bridgewater sophomore midfielder Katie Nasuti (Millbury, Mass.) had given the host Bears an early 1-0 lead as she blasted a shot off the post and in from 20 yards out in the fifth minute of play.

The score remained 1-0 in favor of the Bears until the 78th minute when Birrell beat a defender and drilled shot into the left corner to tie the game at 1-1.  Just over two minutes later, senior defender Maggie Kane (Bangor, Maine) scored on a penalty kick to give Salve a 2-1 advantage.  That lead lasted just 59 seconds, however, as BSU junior defender Melanie Thomson (Abington, Mass.) converted on a direct kick, burying a shot from the 18 into the left side of the net.

Sophomore Jessica Lane (Marshfield, Mass.) turned aside 11 shots to earn the win between the pipes for the Seahawks.  Kane, who scored on the PK, also made a key defensive save for Salve in the 62nd minute as she turned away a header attempt from BSU senior forward Amber LaPorte (New Hartford, Conn.) off a corner kick.

Bridgewater State junior goaltender Kristen Rowe (Burlington, Mass.) blanked the Seahawks over the first 45 minutes of play as she made four saves in one half of action.

BSU held a 25-19 shot advantage for the game while Salve had an 8-6 edge in corner kicks.

The Bears travel to Roger Williams University on Thursday night for a seven o'clock game with the Hawks, while the Seahawks entertain Commonwealth Coast Conference foe Endicott College on Saturday at 1:00 PM.