PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania – Overcoming a multi-goal deficit is not something the UNCW women's soccer team has encountered many times during this 2021 fall season.
But, that was the situation the Seahawks faced in the first half of their Colonial Athletic Association contest against Drexel on Thursday afternoon. However, unlike their season-opening loss against VCU, the Seahawks completed the comeback over the Dragons and came away with a 3-2 overtime victory at Vidas Field.
Graduate student forward
Audrey Harding's golden goal in the 99th minute allowed the Seahawks to improve to 8-2-1 overall and 4-1-0 in the CAA. Drexel, meanwhile, dipped to 5-5-2 overall and 1-2-1 in the circuit after losing for the fourth time in the last six games.
With time ticking down in the first overtime period, the Seahawks were awarded a free kick on the near sideline. Freshman defender
Halle Johnson sent the ensuing kick into the penalty area where it was collected by Harding. Her shot from 12 yards found the left side of the goal to end the game, setting off a wild celebration for the Seahawks.
Drexel struck for two goals in a three-minute span midway through the first half to take an early lead. Senior forward
Lauren Currey got the scoring started in the 22nd minute when she tallied her first goal of the season off passes from graduate student forward Melissa Lyon and senior forward
Delaney Lappin.
With 20:53 remaining in the opening period, the Dragons extended the advantage to 2-0 when junior defender
Lily Dunbar sent Lappin on a breakaway after a clear from the defensive zone. Lappin gathered the long pass and fired a low shot past freshman goalkeeper
Kaylie Bierman for her first goal of the campaign.
But, the Seahawks answered in the 30th minute when redshirt senior midfielder
Morgan Nanni took a crossing feed from Harding and one-timed a shot inside the six-yard area for her fourth goal of the season.
UNCW evened the score at 2-all in the opening minutes of the second half. Junior forward
Jordan Faveri connected with senior defender
Carey Allard, who sent a ball to the far post. Freshman forward
Kayla Burroughs was waiting on the other end and deflected the ball into the goal for the first marker of her college career.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Blair Barefoot, seeing her first action of the season, came up with five saves in the second half and overtime for the Seahawks, who were outshot by a 19-9 margin. Bierman notched two saves in the opening 45 minutes.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper
Miyuki Schoyen stopped five shots in the loss for Drexel.
UNCW wraps up its two-game road swing on Sunday, Oct. 17, when the Seahawks travel to James Madison for a 1 p.m. league contest against the Dukes. Drexel remains at home on Sunday to continue its three-game homestand with a 1 p.m. matinee against Delaware.
