ST.DAVIDS, Pa-High winds turned a match-up of the two women's soccer teams at the top of the Freedom Conference Table into a tale of two halves. After Eastern (7-5-2, 3-1 Freedom) and Misericordia (8-3-2, 3-0-1) battled to a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation, the visiting Cougars won the coin toss and elected to go with the wind in the first overtime period. The overtime lasted only 12 seconds. With a steady wind at her back, junior forward Laura Roney hit a shot from 40 yards out that slipped just under the bar to put Misericordia in command of the conference race at the midway point of the league season.

The Eagles, who honored seven seniors prior to the match, held their own through the first 45 minutes of the match. The steady gusts limited the number of trips into the offensive zone for the hosts, but on the occasions they were able to get the box, there were several dangerous moments. Perhaps the most dangerous moment of the opening half for either team came on Katie Ruth cross that Tess Beckwith headed back across the face of the goal for a scoring chance. The Cougars scrambled in front of their keeper and pushed the ball from danger.

Misercordia had a slim 5-4 edge in shots in the period. 

"When we made it through the opening period," Head Coach Dan Mouw stated, "I felt confident that we would be able to find a goal. I was concerned that their forwards would be able to create a chance into the wind."

Misericordia, in fact, created the first couple chances of the half. The Eagles then responded with several chances of their own before Misericordia broke out of their end. In the 56th minute, Sam Helmstetter earned the edge on the right side and fired a shot that Alysia Goodman saved, but could not hold. Erin McGreal was on the spot to tuck in her team-best eighth of the year.

Undeterred, the Eagles pushed back into the space in front of the Misericordia net and earned a corner. Ashley Graybill's serve was on the money and Kelsey Doutrich headed home her eighth of the year to level the game less than two minutes after the Cougars took the lead.

The Eagles held field position and possession for much of the rest of the match, but the Cougar defense was able to keep shots off their keeper and defend several corners for the rest of regulation.

The loss drops the Eagles into third place in the Freedom Standings behind Misericordia and FDU-Florham (3-0-1). It is the fifth one-goal and third overtime loss of the year for Eastern. FDU visits St. Davids on Tuesday for what will be an important league game.

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