NEWARK, Delaware – UNCW rallied from a two-goal deficit to force overtime at Delaware on Sunday, but the Blue Hens ended the comeback by scoring in the 95th minute to earn a 3-2 overtime victory in the Colonial Athletic Association women's soccer regular season finale for both teams at Grant Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The win elevated Delaware to the No. 2 seed in the upcoming CAA Championship while running the Blue Hens' record to 12-6-0 overall and 7-2-0 in the league. UNCW, meanwhile, dropped to 10-5-1 overall and 6-2-1 in the circuit while earning the No. 3 seed.
Sophomore Sara D'Appolonia scored the game-winning goal with 5:06 remaining in the first overtime period when she blasted a 17-yard shot to the lower left corner of the goal past junior goalkeeper
Sydney Schneider.
Delaware claimed a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute when D'Appolonia set up redshirt freshman forward Anna Diffendal outside of the penalty area. Diffendal fired a shot over Schneider and into the far side of the goal for her fourth marker of the season.
Senior Dani Kabat extended the Blue Hens' cushion to 2-0 in the 57th minute when she collected a loose ball just outside the penalty area and slid a low shot into the lower left corner for her fourth goal of the season.
But, the Seahawks countered less than four minutes later to cut the deficit in half as senior
Dominique Martinez headed in a crossing pass that was deflected by a Delaware defender, scoring her fourth goal of the campaign.
Junior
Audrey Harding evened the score at 2-2 with just 1:32 remaining in regulation when she headed in a corner kick by freshman
Emily Moxley into the right side of the goal for her sixth marker of the season.
Schneider made four saves in the loss for the Seahawks while sophomore Kamryn Stablein stopped four shots for Delaware, which was outshot by a 17-11 margin.
Game Notes:
- The Seahawks had their seven-game unbeaten streak snapped with Sunday's loss … It was UNCW's first setback since a 3-1 verdict at Elon on Sept. 26 in the CAA opener.
- Harding scored her first goal away from home this season … Each of her first five markers had been scored at UNCW Soccer Stadium.
- Sunday marked the 500th game in the program's 26-year history … The Seahawks now boast a 244-227-29 all-time record.
- UNCW dropped to 15-2-1 in the last two seasons when scoring at least two goals in a game … Sunday's loss at Delaware marked the Seahawks' ninth multi-goal game of the season.
- The Seahawks lost in overtime for the first time since Oct. 27, 2018, at James Madison … UNCW is now 1-3-2 in overtime since the start of last season.
- Schneider's four-save performance moved into sixth place on the Seahawks' career saves list … The Dayton, N.J., product has registered 130 saves in 43 games with the Seahawks.
Up Next: The Seahawks begin their quest at the program's second CAA title on Friday, Nov. 1, with a 1 p.m. quarterfinal contest against James Madison at Delaware's Grant Stadium. UNCW downed the Dukes by a 2-0 count on Thursday night in Wilmington.