Islanders Experience First Home Loss in Overtime

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - For the second time in as many matches, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi faced overtime against a Southland foe on Sunday, this time coming up short in a 2-1 loss against Nicholls.

The Islanders tied a single season high this weekend, playing their third and fourth extra-minute contests of 2017 against visiting Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls. The Blue and Green set the previous mark of four in the 2016 campaign, losing to the Colonels in overtime during that season as well.

Corpus Christi looked like the better squad for the majority of the match, outshooting Nicholls by a count of 9-3 in the opening half. After the first two shots went to the Islanders at the start of the day, it would be the Colonels to first open up scoring on a deep shot from outside the 18. Starting keeper Jordan Wainwright was able to get a hand to the ball but could not keep it from crossing the line, as the visiting side managed to take a 1-0 advantage in the 21st minute. 

Possession and scoring chances flipped over to the islanders ball immediately after that goal, with the Blue and Green recording four shots over the proceeding 15 minutes. The levee broke for the home side in the 36th thanks to smart pass and play from Siri O'Donnell. The freshman defender took hold of the ball just inside midfield, and after outrunning a pair of defenders played a through ball directly onto the foot of teammate Kaitlyn Joy. Joy rewarded O'Donnell's play with a superb shot while in one-on-one with the Nicholls keeper. The redshirt-junior's second goal of the season found the back of the net after deflecting off the goalie's hands, putting her in a tie for first on the team and securing a tied match into the half.

The entire second period of play would belong to the Blue and Green, with the Colonels barely holding possession past midfield in the final 45. Joy came within two feet of her second goal of the afternoon during the 74th minute, with her left-footed strike from the top of the 18 hitting the side of the net. Just two minutes later, in her second appearance of the season, forward Katie Seabolt tested the keeper with a header on frame, but was batted aside by the Nicholls tender. 

Emily Keoughan and Brooke Erdmann would both have shots on goal in the final eight minutes, as the two created scoring chances from start to finish of Sunday's competition. Both of the forward's attempts would be pushed away however, as the Islanders moved onward to extra time for a second consecutive outing.

The Colonels came out aggressive to start overtime, but were unable to produce any quality scoring chances until the 98th minute, when Nicholls' Kirstie Champagne sent a looping ball over the defense that reached the foot of leading goal-scorer Haylee Atwell. Champagne's ball found Atwell after the Colonel forward ran through the back of Islander defender Megan Dodd, but with no foul called on the play the visiting team's tally stood for their first overtime win of 2017.

• This is the second year in a row the Islanders have lost to Nicholls in overtime, and the fourth time the two clubs' matchup has ended 2-1
• Kaitlyn Joy led the Blue and Green with four shots on the day, she leads the team with 21 attempts on net this season
• Joy's two goals this year are tied for a team-high, as the forward now holds three goals in her career
• O'Donnell's helper is the first of her career, playing all 45 minutes of the first half
• The Islanders outshot Nicholls 15-7 on the afternoon, with the Colonels getting just three shots on frame all afternoon
• The Blue and Green did not concede a single corner kick all afternoon, the first time they have lost in 2017 when taking more corners than their opponent
• Corpus Christi sits just a single win away from tying a single-season best and securing the squad's most successful regular season in history

COMING UP NEXT 
The Islanders are once again, back at home next weekend, to put a cap on their current home stint against visiting Abilene Christian. Corpus Christi is 1-2-1 against ACU all-time, but 1-1 when playing the Wildcats inside of Dugan.

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