All of a sudden it was over. After a 100 minutes of end to end action, Eastern first-year forward Allison Inch knocked home a rebound just 14 seconds into the second overtime to give Eastern University Women's Soccer a hard-fought 1-0 win at Swarthmore College. The goal was the first collegiate tally for Inch and snapped a season-opening three-game losing streak.
After furious action throughout regulation and the first overtime, Eastern started the second overtime period with the ball. Ashley Hackman and Jill DiRenzo advanced the ball through traffic into the attacking third. DiRenzo flipped a ball into space that looked as though it would trickle over the end-line on the right wing. Nicole Grindle, who along with Inch had just checked into the game to start the period, raced behind to save the ball and cracked a right footed volley from a tough angle that grazed the near post on the way toward goal. Swarthmore goalkeeper Lauren Walker made the initial save, but Inch was on the spot to knock the ball home from four yards out.
The goal is the first surrendered by the Garnet this season. Each team had several chances to win the game in regulation, but solid play from both goalkeepers and back lines kept the sheet clean through 100 minutes.
The home Garnet had a great chance in the third minute of the game on a long throw from the left wing. Megan Columbo's header hit the top of the crossbar and rolled out of play. The Garnet's next great chance of the match came in the 28th minute on a corner kick that had actually beaten Eastern keeper Amanda Daveler. Corie Brant held her post and cleared the shot off the line as Daveler bounced up to eliminate any rebounds.
Eastern took a number of shots from distance in the opening frame, including a 30 yard effort from Lauren Roe that Walker did well to collect, but the Eagles didn't have a close chance until Inch headed a Hackman cross just inches wide in the 38th minute.
The Eagles turned up the pressure in the second half and were able to hold pressure deep in the Swarthmore end for extended periods of time. Swarthmore remained dangerous in the counterattack and on set pieces. Sarah Reece ripped two dangerous freekicks from range that Daveler was able to save and collect. Eastern earned a 6-5 shot advantage for the half.
The game almost did not make it to overtime as both teams earned chances in a wild final thirty seconds of regulation. Steffie Sauder made a late lunging tackle to deny Columbo who appeared to be in on Daveler. The Eagles advanced the ball up field to Roe who was able to place a serve in the box behind the Swarthmore back line just as time expired.
Each team had a pair of shots in the first overtime. Kara Neef tested the Swarthmore goal with a tough skidding toe poke shot, but Walker was up to the challenge.
Eastern had to fight off a pair of corner kicks and another long throw to make it to the second overtime. Each corner and each restart had the entire Eastern bench holding their collective breaths as both teams battled for balls in front of the net. "We really worked to address marking on restarts and really competing for those tough situation balls," head coach Dan Mouw said, "Corie's save in the first half and the play of our back line through out got us through the day."
Mouw said of his team's effort, "We worked very hard this week in preparation for this game, and I felt that the players gave a great effort. Swarthmore is an outstanding team and we had to work very hard to find a way to beat them. Ali was in the right place at the right time. It is a great thing to have your first college goal be a memorable one."
Swarthmore entered the evening's contest ranked fifth in the most recent NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Poll.
Daveler made five saves in goal to earn the shutout. Walker made seven saves for the Garnet.
Eastern will play their home opener on Tuesday afternoon against Ursinus College.
