Box Score Utica 3, Bard 2 - Box Score

Annandale-On-Hudson, N.Y. – The Utica College women's soccer team capped its most incredible come back in recent memory, with a game-winning overtime goal by junior Samantha Spohler (East Durham, NY/Cairo Durham), as the Pioneers' earned a 3-2 victory over host Bard College Wednesday night.  Utica trailed the entire contest, and it appeared that the game was all but over, when the Pioneers' started their rally in the 80th minute.  Within a span of just over two minutes, UC leading scorer's Sarah Southwell (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Spohler each netted a goal to knot the score at 2-2 with less than eight minutes to go in regulation. 7:54 into the overtime period Spohler collected the ball in the box, spun and ripped the game-winner into the lower right corner, much to the delight of the Pioneers. 

Utica (5-10) has now won two in a row and they look ahead to Saturday's key Empire 8 Conference match up against host St. John Fisher College.  Utica can earn a spot in the coveted conference tournament with a win against Fisher (yielding no more than one goal) and Elmira loss to Stevens or a win over Fisher by at least three goals and an Elmira loss to Stevens.  Saturday's contest against the Cardinals is set to begin at 12:30 p.m.

Bard (3-13) had the better of the possession in the match and led, 2-0, on a pair of goals by junior Cosie Andujar. She scored in the eighth minute and the 55th minute, so by the 80th minute it appeared the game was just about over.

But in the 81st minute, a free kick into the penalty area was trapped by Southwell, and she fed junior Spohler, who scored easily to make it 2-1.

Just over two minutes later, Southwell got in behind the Bard defense on a through ball from senior Chelsea Way (Cuyler, NY/DeRuyter), and she scored to tie the match at 2-2 with 7:11 left in regulation time.

In overtime, Spohler struck at 97:54, collecting a loose ball near the top of the box, spinning and shooting to give Utica a non-conference victory in the first meeting ever between the schools.
                                                               
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