Women's Soccer Notches Double Overtime Win over RWU

BRISTOL, R.I. – Two late unanswered goals helped Bridgewater State University defeat the Roger Williams University women's soccer team, 2-1, in double overtime Thursday evening.

Amber LaPorte (Whitman, Mass.) tallied the game-winner for the visiting Bears who reach the .500 mark with the win, moving to 5-5-0 on the year. Roger Williams falls for the third straight game and drops to 4-5-1.

The game, originally scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start, became delayed due to lightning approximately one hour prior to the start. As a result, both teams did not kick off until 7:30 p.m.

The Hawks reached the scoreboard first, with Devon Leighton (Scarborough, Maine) firing a shot from deep outside the right edge of the box, finding the back of the left side of the net to put the Hawks on top 1-0.

Leighton almost had a hand in another goal, setting up Hannah Noel (Adams, Mass.) with a beautiful pass up the middle for a one-on-one opportunity with Bear keeper Kristen Rowe (Burlington, Mass.), but a tremendous jumping one-handed stop avoided another Hawk score.

In the second half, the Hawks kept the Bears' offense at bay for most of the period, allowing only three shots over the 45 minutes. It appeared that Roger Williams would come away with the win, but a free kick by Molly Copeland (North Falmouth, Mass.) into the box ended up on the foot of Taylor Robitaille (Ludlow, Mass.), who knocked in the free ball to tie the game with 5:46 left to play, sending the game into overtime.

Copeland almost ended the game four minutes into the first OT, booting a long shot from inside midfield that bounced off the top of the post. The Hawks had a chance as well, with an open shot by Katie Fusaro (Hopkinton, Mass.) hooking left.

It took less than three minutes into the second overtime for the Bears to notch the golden goal. LaPorte fired a shot 25 feet outside the right part of the box, flying over the keeper and in for the game winner.

Kerry Condon (Whitman, Mass.) earned the win for Bridgewater State, playing the second half and both overtime periods while making seven saves. Rowe finished with four stops. Stephanie Jaques (Burlington, Vt.) made two saves for the Hawks in the loss.

Roger Williams hosts Curry College Saturday while Bridgewater State hosts Worcester State University; both start times at 3:30 p.m.