Overtime Goal Lifts Nicholls Over Islanders

THIBODAUX, La. – Shayla Spearman's late second half strike for the Texas A&M-Corpus Corpus Christi women's soccer team sent Friday's road match at Nicholls into overtime, but a quick attack by the Colonels two minutes into the extra period lifted the hosts to a 2-1 victory.
 
"We have a great 'never quit' mentality tonight," head coach Shanna Caldwell said. "We found a way to get the equalizer and pressed to try and find the final goal in regulation.
 
"Overtime was a tough result for us, but there are lots of great takeaways. We will recover, keep our spirits high and focus on our next match Sunday. The leadership of this team is a whole group effort, and they genuinely believe in the process and will give their all on Sunday at Southeastern Louisiana."
 
Both teams struggled to gain a foothold in the opening 30 minutes. Nicholls created a pair of chances in the 24th and 28th, respectively, but Islanders starting goalkeeper Kendall Moody was up to task on both occasions.
 
Spearman sent the first effort of the afternoon on goal for the Blue and Green, before Madeleine Lozano, who played significant minutes for the first time since the UTRGV match on Sept. 11, fired a shot in on goal; however Nicholls goalkeeper Roosa Hurmerinta denied the two efforts.
 
Nicholls broke the deadlock in the 38th minute when Jess Coates finished a Haylee Atwell pass on the left side of the penalty area. The Islanders entered the locker room down 1-0 at the half.
 
Jordan Wainwright stepped between the pipes for the first time since the UTSA match on Sept. 2 as the teams stepped back on the pitch for the second half. Brooke Erdmann nearly gave A&M-Corpus Christi a perfect start to the second half, but the Deer Park, Texas, native saw her strike saved by Hurmerinta just 55 seconds into the second half.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi continued to pour on the attack in the dying minutes of the match. A formation change by Caldwell created several opportunities for the Islanders, as Yvette Franco, Meghan Cordero and Erdmann nearly leveled the match leading into the last 10 minutes of regulation.
 
Spearman brought the Islanders back into the game with her strike in the 84th minute from the middle of the box. After beating the final Colonel defender in a footrace, the freshman latched onto a long ball sent forward by Kaitlyn Joy to tie the match at 1-1.
 
Lozano had a game-winning effort saved by Hurmerinta less than a minute after the goal. Neither side was able to take the lead in the final five minutes of regulation, sending the Islanders into their first overtime match of the year.
 
The Colonels made quick work of the overtime period, tallying two shots in the opening two minutes, including the game winner by Hannah Savole at the 91:54 mark.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi matched Nicholls in shots on goal with seven, despite trailing in shots 13-to-10. Moody and Wainwright split the four stops for the Islanders in regulation with the latter adding one more in the overtime period.
 
UPCOMING MATCH
The Islanders will make the short drive to Hammond on Sunday for a 1 p.m. contest against Southeastern Louisiana. A&M-Corpus Christi topped the Lady Lions at the Dugan Soccer Stadium last year 2-1.

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