The "Cardiac Gophers" Collect a Tie Following Late Goal

TOWSON, Md. – The Goucher College women's soccer team (3-0-2) remained without a loss in a 2-2 tie with Wesley College on Beldon Field Tuesday evening.

The Gophers dominated the Wolverines 23-5 in shots on goal but were unable to earn the differential goal at the end of the game despite multiple opportunities.

Goucher jumped out to an early lead with a goal in the seventh minute. First-year Syd Benedick (Fort Loudon, Pa.) earned her third assist of the year when she sent the ball in from the right flank and found the charging Isabel Suazo (Brooklyn, N.Y.) who volleyed the ball over the keepers head and into the back of the net.

The Gophers threatened five more times over the next eight minutes, but they incapable of adding another goal. In the 32^nd minute, the Wolverines stunned Goucher when Janiah Moore launched a shot from outside the eighteen and over the head of first-year Christina Charikofsky (Eldersburg, Md.).

Goucher had three opportunities to score off corner kicks toward the end of the first half, but once again, they were denied. At the break, the scoreboard read, 1-1.

Wesley was the first to strike in the second half when Lauren O'Sullivan sent a long through ball down the field and hit Moore in stride. Moore carried the ball into the box and wrapped a shot around the diving keeper to take the lead.

In the 83^rd minute, the "cardiac Gophers" came back to tie the game. Junior Theresa Antkowiak-Tassone (Towson, Md.) chased down a loose ball at the midfield and carried it into the Wolverine defensive third and scored with a curving shot to knot the game up. Goucher posted two more shots on goal before the end of regulation, but it was to no avail.

In the first overtime, the Gophers held the Wolverines without a shot but had two solid opportunities of their own. The first came in the 96^th minute when Suazo ripped a laser from the top of the eighteen. The shot was knocked up into the air and off the crossbar. The second opportunity came in the 97^th minute when Antkowiak-Tassone looked to double her goals on the night and blasted a shot from eight yards out. However, Wesley keeper, Krista Salvadore, was there for the stop. The game moved into the second overtime tied, 2-2.

The Gophers almost scored again in the 104^th minute when junior Christina Yarrish (Hummelstown, Pa.) looked to clean up a loose ball in front of the net, but Salvadore was there to save the day again. Finally, in the 109^th minute, senior Bri Hite (Port Republic, Md.) mounted the final chance when she dropped a high shot in front of Salvadore. The ball bounced and header for the goal, but Salvadore popped the ball over the crossbar to safety. The game ended in a 2-2 tie.

Charikofsky finished the game with three saves while Salvadore tallied 21 total saves. The Gophers took 44 shots compared to Wesley's seven. Goucher also held an advantage in corner kicks, 11-5.

The Gophers are back in action on Saturday at 3 p.m. when Mary Washington comes to Beldon Field.