STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's (5-4-2, 2-4-2 GNAC) and Mount Ida College (3-8-1, 1-7-1 GNAC) played to a 2-2 stalemate in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's soccer contest at Westerlea Way Field on Monday afternoon. Sophomore forward Danielle Daigle (Dayton, Maine) netted the game-tying goal late and recorded five shots in the conference deadlock.
The Monks, who dominated statistically in every facet other than the scoreboard, struck first on a Megen Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.) goal in the 20th minute, but the Mustangs countered with a Briana Tomaselli (Warwick, R.I.) score less than four minutes later and took the lead when Alison Koning (Carlisle, Mass.) scored 3:20 into the second stanza. With the game-clock dwindling, Daigle finished a Lizzie Calnan (Westport, Mass.) cross with a header to knot the match at two-apiece with just 2:45 remaining in regulation.
The best scoring opportunity over 20 minutes of extra play occurred at the 108:16 mark when Daigle broke free and streaked towards the right post, but Mount Ida keeper Samantha Basler (Plymouth, Mass.) left her feet to snare Daigle's close-range shot and preserve the tie.
Pollini's goal, her second of the season, was intended to be a pass, but the kick – taken from the right side from about 25 yards out - sailed high and into the top left corner of the net to lift the hosts to a 1-0 edge 19:43 into play.
Both of the Mount Ida markers were the result of defensive breakdowns by the Monks. The Mustangs got on the board at the 23:22 mark when Tomaselli sprang free on a long breakaway and beat Lorenzen with a kick to the left corner to make it a 1-1 contest. The visitors would take the lead 25 minutes later when Koning, hugging the right post, deflected a cross by Isabelle Moody (Naugatuck, Conn.) into the right corner.
Despite numerous scoring chances by the Monks, nearly 40 minutes of scoreless play ensued as the hosts' opportunities proved fruitless until Calnan set up Daigle's tying goal with a beautiful cross pass. Hustling down the right side of the field, Calnan outworked a Mount Ida defender to possess the ball and quickly booted the sphere into the box to Daigle, who one-timed a header into the top right corner past a diving Basler to tie the game and force overtime.
SJC junior netminder Jaci Lorenzen (Windham, Maine) made eight saves while Basler tallied 12 stops in the conference deadlock.
Saint Joseph's held sizeable advantages in shots (31-11), shots on goal (15-10) and corner kicks (12-0) and was slapped with six fouls while Mount Ida was flagged on five occasions.
With the result, Saint Joseph's is now 5-0-1 in the history of the series with Mount Ida College. For the Mustangs, today's scoring output is the most the side has scored in a contest versus St. Joe's.
The Monks are off until Saturday when the Royal Blue travels to Nashua, N.H. for a GNAC match versus Rivier University at 3:00 PM. Mount Ida will play at Nichols College in a non-conference tilt slated to start at 3:30 PM on Thursday.
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.
