Hand Ball Leads to Game-Ending PK for Rangers

MADISON, N.J. — For all numerous Goucher players did to keep their team in today's Landmark Conference game against Drew, they deserved a better ending. What they were handed, however, was a bitter ending.

A hand ball infraction whistled against the Gophers in the 106th minute provided the Rangers with the opportunity in the second overtime to end a scoreless tie by converting a penalty kick. Melanie Santos was successful on her attempt as she pushed the ball just out of the reach of a diving Juliana Harkavy (Memphis, Tenn./Ridgeway), giving the home team a 1-0 (2OT) victory.

Of course, if it wasn't for Harkavy, who had stopped the three previous penalty kicks she faced this season, the game would have never reached extra time. She made a spectacular play on a header by Emma Campbell to deny Drew in the 82nd minute, one of the senior goalkeeper's seven saves during regulation.

The Rangers (6-8-1, 2-3 Landmark) had another chance to win in the first OT, but a one-on-one save by Harkavy kept the game scoreless.

After Stephanie Budrock (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) lifted a shot wide left — Goucher's only shot in the second overtime — Drew gathered the ball, drove down the field, and were awarded their ninth corner kick of the contest.  It was during the corner kick that the hand ball was called.

The Gophers (7-6-2, 1-4 Landmark) had some of their best scoring chances off of penalty corners, particularly in the first half: Brooke Merchant (Gaithersburg, Md./Thomas S. Wootton) sailed a shot high during one, while Samantha Turner (Vineland, N.J./Vineland) and Budrock took shots that went wide off another.

Although Goucher was outshot, 10-3, by Drew in the second half, it gained opportunities late in regulation. Shots by Alex Collier (Mount Airy, Md./Glenelg) and Merchant were saved by the opposing keeper.

The Gophers returns to action one week from today when they welcome Juniata to Beldon Field at 3:30 p.m. in its final home game of the 2015 season.