HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A goal in the 96
th minute felled Alabama A&M (0-2, 0-1 SWAC) in their Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opener as they dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to Grambling (2-2, 2-1 SWAC) in an NCAA Division I women's soccer game on Friday, March 5
In a game that saw them fire off 22 shots, 12 on goal, the Tigers would waste no time as they found the back of the net in the fifth minute. Kamaron Powell found Kailey Pena off the near right side of the net, who then proceeded to side step the keeper to the left and drive the ball to the back left corner for a 1-0 lead at the 4:38 mark.
GSU would continue the offensive barrage with a total of 12 shots in the first half but the Bulldogs defense would be equal to the task as they did not allow another ball to find the back of the net, sending the teams to the half with that one goal margin.
A&M would make one of their four second half attempts count and do so early on to knot things up. Sophomore forward
Jameela Barrett (London, England) fired a ball off the keeper in the 50
th minute and it was recovered directly in front of the goal mouth by senior forward
Braejah Washington (Dallas, Texas) who then pounded it to the back right corner to make it 1-1 at 49:50.
The score would stay that way for the remainder of the second half, despite Grambling firing off six of their nine attempts in the frame after that goal. The Bulldogs would put one of their two other shots in the half on net but could not deliver the go-ahead score as the teams headed to overtime.
With the clubs deadlocked at 1-1, it would be Barrett that put one on frame at 93:51, only to see it saved by Tigers keeper Britt Verhees. That would be a key save as it put GSU on the attack, something that earned them a corner kick at the other end of the field.
Haylee O'Leary took that kick and then rushed the box, coming in on the near right side. By the time she got there the ball had ricocheted and landed at her feet where she quickly drove it home to the right corner for the 2-1 overtime winner.
Washington delivered the lone goal for Alabama A&M as she connected on her only shot of the day while Barrett fired off five of the Bulldogs' eight shots, placing four on frame. Senior goalkeeper
Jodi Medina (Coral Springs, Fla.) was solid in goal, playing all 95:22 while making 10 saves against the two scores to fall to 0-2.
Pena ripped off seven shots with three on net and one in the back of the net to pace the Tigers while O'Leary delivered the winner and Powell had an assist. Verhees went the distance in net and made four saves to improve to 2-1.
The Bulldogs return to action on Sunday, March 7 when they host Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Bulldog Field.
