Box Score Buffalo, NY - A rainy Saturday afternoon at the new D'Youville Athletic Complex went the way of the Spartans as the D'Youville Women's Soccer Team came back to defeat conference opponent Pitt.-Greensburg 2-1 in OT.
Pitt.-Greensburg was the first to put a tally on the scoresheet under 10 minutes into the game. Not until 25 minutes later did the Spartans answer with a goal of their own. Normally a defensive standout, senior captain Mallory Hojnacki (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg) stepped to the penalty dot on a penalty kick and buried her first goal of the season to tie the game for D'Youville.
The second half was much like the first. Both teams traded chances, rain fell and the wind howled until the second half whistle blew and to overtime the game went.
Just over 7 minutes into the first overtime, D'Youville pressure led to a frantic attack in the Bobcat box. The ball slipped out of the Pitt.-Greensburg goalie's grasp and rolled over the line off of the foot of junior midfielder Melissa LaVere (Clarence, NY/Williamsville East) for the game winner.
The D'Youville women provided steady pressure all afternoon long. As a team, the women put 13 shots on goal and had 19 shots total. Junior goalie Catie Giebner (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township) made 1 save on 2 shots. Hojnacki, junior Amanda Drake (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) and freshman Jenna Tomizzi (Buffalo, NY/Sacred Heart) played solid on defense once again.
On offense, sophomore Terra Juda (North Tonawanda, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) and junior Nicole LaVere (Clarence, NY/Williamsville East) provided steady pressure throughout the game. Junior Elizabeth Lyons (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) created several chances for hear teammates time and time again.
The next game for the D'Youville Women's Soccer Team is against Hilbert on Wednesday, October 8th at 5pm at home. The game is followed by the men playing Hilbert at 7pm.