BURLINGTON, Vt. – Emily Amano netted the game-winning goal seven minutes into overtime and Colgate knocked off Vermont 2-1 in dramatic fashion on Friday evening at Virtue Field.
The Raiders pick up their first win of the season and improve to 1-5-1 overall. Vermont dipped to 2-3-1 after the loss.
Colgate set the tone early and put one on the board in the sixth minute. The lead stood for nearly 80 minutes before Vermont tied the game at 1-1 with just over five minutes left.
The Catamounts carried their momentum into overtime, but
Kelly Chiavaro registered three saves in the first four minutes to stave off the comeback. Colgate only needed one chance to put the game away and Amano delivered.
Dom DeMarco served a corner kick and sent a pass up to
Ruby Diodati in open space. Diodati surveyed the center of the box and struck a cross in, where Amano redirected the pass with a header to the back of the net for the game-winner in the 98th minute.
Colgate dominated possession early on and was staked an early 1-0 lead after
Ellis Miller connected on a cross from
Abby Sotomayor in the sixth minute.
Chiavaro was not tested until the 21st minute on a low shot from Karen Wallace. The senior keeper tucked in the shot near the left post for her first save of the half. Colgate won several 1-on-1 battles and controlled the middle of the field for the majority of the opening stanza to carry its one-goal lead into halftime.
The Raiders created the first scoring chance out of the break. Diodati spun a corner to the far side of the 18-yard box, where
Sage DiGiulio whistled a shot high. DiGiulio moments later forced another save on a deep shot from outside.
Jenna Borovinsky nearly doubled the Raiders lead in the 71st minute. A long throw-in from the sideline entered the box and Borovinsky redirected the cross toward the net but her shot trickled into the arms of the Catamounts keeper.
Vermont found another gear down the stretch and pressed heavily in the offensive zone. Chiavaro racked up her save total to six with key stops in the 83rd and 84th minutes before the Catamounts knotted the score at 1-1 with just over five minutes left in regulation.
Vermont peppered the first three shots of overtime on target. Chiavaro stood tall to match her career high with nine saves before Amano's late heroics off the corner.
BOTTOM LINE
Colgate 2, Vermont 1 (OT)
QUOTES
Head Coach Kathy Brawn
On the game:
"I am so genuinely happy for our players. Everyone has been working incredibly hard to get on the winning track. They trusted the process and stayed focused as we prepared for this game."
On the game-winning goal:
"We set up a corner play before the end of overtime, and Dom and Ruby linked up perfectly. Emily put the game away with the winning strike off of Ruby's cross."
On Kelly Chiavaro's nine saves and looking ahead:
"Again, Kelly was solid in goal and the back line was stellar. It will be great to celebrate this victory and then have several days to prepare for our Patriot League opener versus an outstanding Navy side."
NOTABLES
- Miller's early goal was her first of the season and ninth career marker.
- Sotomayor picked up her first points of the campaign with the assist on Miller's goal.
- Amano now leads Colgate with two goals and four points this season.
- Diodati tallied her second assist of the year on Amano's golden goal.
- Chiavaro's nine saves match her career high set on Sept. 27, 2017, at Lehigh.
- Colgate's last overtime game-winner came last October at Navy.
- Shots fittingly finished 13-13 for the game.
- Colgate is now 19-5-3 all-time against the Catamounts.
- The Raiders have won 17 straight head-to-head matchups.
UP NEXT
Colgate has eight days off before opening Patriot League play next weekend at home. The Raiders host Navy on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m.
