Box Score NEWBERG, Ore. -- Anna Thorndike's 98th minute score off a saved penalty kick elevated Lewis & Clark women's soccer to a 2-1 overtime victory over the George Fox Bruins on Saturday afternoon at the Austin Sports Complex.
Thorndike's fifth score of the season followed Karley Pate's 67th minute penalty kick equalizer on the Pios' 15th shot of the match to finally get past George Fox goalkeeper Morgan Bars.
"We played really well together," said Lewis & Clark head coach Jim Tursi. "We created a lot of great opportunities with so many shots, but their goalkeeper had an exceptional game and took us out of the net, but we kept going.
Overall, we are playing as well as we have played all year and that is a good sign. They want to finish strong."
After a scoreless first half, Lewis & Clark (8-6-1; 4-6-1 NWC) fell behind the Bruins on Savannah Moisan's fifth goal of the season. She scored in the 51st minute on a dribble past Lewis & Clark goalkeeper Kelley Koeppen, who replaced Sandra Alvarenga to start the second half.
"When we went down 1-0, we did a really good job of staying in it mentally," said junior defender Isobel Fikso. "Emily [Thompson] was running at their back line a lot, which is how we eventually got the penalty kick to tie the game.
"We carried that momentum into overtime, and we were really pressuring their goalie."
Overall, Lewis & Clark held a 26-11 advantage in shots including a 7-2 edge in shots on-goal. The Pios posted five more than George Fox (5-9-2; 3-8-1) in each half and four more in the overtime period. The Pios also held a 13-1 margin in corner kicks.
Five of Lewis & Clark's shots came in the first 15 minutes including an attempt by Thompson that was blocked just two minutes in before Kori Swanson took her first shot of the season in the fourth minute. Megan Ratfield sent one wide in the 12th minute, while Thorndike was blocked and Thompson's header sailed wide in the 14th minute.
After George Fox's Moisan forced a save by Alvarenga in the sixth minute, the Bruins didn't get another shot away until the 24th minute. Shots by Caitlyn Connor, Emma Weme and Kenna Meinhart were all blocked over the next four minutes
Lewis & Clark nearly took the lead in the 30th minute when Taylor Hudson hit the crossbar, but neither team scored and the game remained tied 0-0 until half.
Early in the second period, Fikso had a shot blocked in the 51st minute and George Fox transitioned down the field to score the Moisan goal.
Thorndike almost had the go-ahead goal eight minutes after Pate's tying score, hitting the post in the 75th minute. She did it again in the 90th minute, as the Pios led a late charge, attempting to end the game in regulation. Kylie Carera took the last shot of the first 90 minutes, missing wide on the rebound of Thorndike's post shot.
"Thorndike had four shots that forced a save or hit the part of the goal and eventually she was able to get one in the back of the net," said Fikso, who finished with a season-high two shots for the third time this season. "It was nice to pull out the win coming from behind.
We hope to carry the momentum into tomorrow."
The win moves Lewis & Clark to one point behind Whitworth and four back of Linfield for fourth place in the Northwest Conference. The Pioneers play on Sunday at Pacific.
